Two men suspected to have carried out a gas station robbery in Sangudo have been arrested after they were involved in a shootout with the RCMP.
On Nov. 30, two suspects entered the Pit Stop gas station in Sangudo. One male was in possession of a shotgun.
The pair directed the employees to comply with their demands as they stole cash and cigarettes. No employees were injured.
“The whole incident lasted only 30 to 40 seconds and both males left in an awaiting vehicle,” said Mayerthorpe RCMP Sgt. Grant Kneller.
On Dec. 4, the Grande Prairie RCMP were following a GMC Sierra truck with two occupants around 4 a.m. when the driver stopped and then reversed at high speeds and rammed one of the police vehicles.
This led to RCMP officers getting into an exchange in gunfire with the two suspects.
One 21-year-old male, assumed to be the driver, was injured as a result of the exchange and transported to the hospital.
A second 30-year-old passenger was not injured and arrested without further incident.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating the incident.
ASIRT is called upon to investigate incidents involving Alberta law enforcement agencies that result in serious injury or death, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.
In any case, Kneller said that when the Grande Prairie RCMP were looking at in-house bulletins, they realized “these were probably the same people” from the Sangudo robbery.
Kneller said that after further investigation by both detachments, they determined these were the same individuals who robbed the Pit Stop gas station.
On Dec. 7, Mayerthorpe RCMP charged Raymond Andrew Rodtka of Sexsmith with robbery, using a firearm in the commission of an offence, wearing a disguise while committing an offence, four counts of pointing a firearm, as well as additional firearms-related offences.
Kevin Daniel Turner of Grande Prairie is charged with robbery, plus additional firearms offences which were not specified in the RCMP release.
Both males have been remanded into custody pending further judicial proceedings.
