PEI

Man charged after young teenage girl sent to hospital with facial injuries

A 23-year-old man from Rollo Bay West, P.E.I., is in custody after police found a young teenage girl with serious facial injuries at a home in Kings County on Friday.

RCMP surrounded house after report of man threatening girl with firearm

Sgt. Chris Gunn was one of four officers who responded to a call Friday morning about a young teenage girl being held against her will. (Brian Higgins/CBC)

A 23-year-old man from Rollo Bay West, P.E.I., is in custody after police found a young teenage girl with serious facial injuries at a home in Kings County on Friday.

Sgt. Chris Gunn of Kings District RCMP say police got a call around 7 a.m. that a man was holding a young teenage girl against her will and threatening her with a firearm.

Four officers rushed to the house, armed with carbine rifles and wearing body armour, Gunn said.

"Our members attended the area — we secured the scene," he said. "We were able to start negotiation with the male, and were able to facilitate him surrendering himself to the police."

Gunn said they negotiated with the man for about an hour before he came outside to surrender himself.

The girl was transported to a hospital in Montague by Island EMS, and then transferred to hospital in Charlottetown, he said, adding that he does not know the extent of her injuries.

"It is alleged that the suspect used his physical body, his fists, to cause damage to the female and then strike her or push her against certain objects that caused more damage," said Gunn. 

He said the accused and the victim knew each other, but are not related.

The gun turned out to be a toy rifle, modified to look like a real machine gun, said Gunn.

The accused is in custody facing charges of assault causing bodily harm, uttering threats, unlawful confinement and pointing a firearm, he said.

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With files from Brian Higgins