Pair charged in violent Sask. carjacking as search continues for 2 more suspects

A man and a woman have been charged in a violent carjacking that spurred a manhunt and several dangerous persons alerts northeast of Prince Albert on Thursday, but Saskatchewan RCMP say two other suspects are still at large.

A group of masked people reportedly shot someone and stole their vehicle near the White Star grain elevator before 8:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, police said at the time. The victim was taken to hospital with unknown injuries and remains there, according to RCMP.

Police issued four dangerous persons alerts starting shortly before 10 a.m. CST on Thursday as they pursued the suspects north toward Thunder Rapids. RCMP said at the time they believed the suspects were involved in multiple armed vehicle robberies, were believed to have a gun and should be considered dangerous.

The suspects fled on foot after their vehicle reportedly collided with a piece of heavy equipment on Highway 123 near Thunder Rapids, about 170 kilometres northeast of Prince Albert, around 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

RCMP said Friday they were able to arrest the pair of suspects near Tobin Lake later that day after they were spotted by a police helicopter running along the bank of the Saskatchewan River, about three kilometres from where they had been last seen entering the bush from the highway.

An 18-year-old woman and 33-year-old man from Prince Albert are each facing one count of aggravated assault, robbery with a firearm, shooting a firearm with intent to cause harm, as well as six other illegal gun charges. They are expected to appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on Monday, Oct. 28.

However two other suspects have not yet been located in the mossy, boggy terrain "despite extensive police ground and air searches in dense, thick bush with swampland," RCMP said in a news release Friday.

Mounties say they are still searching for the remaining two suspects, and investigating to determine any connection between the suspects and other incidents in the days prior to Thursday's reported attacks.

The week before, Prince Albert RCMP received reports of two separate gunpoint carjackings in the rural municipality of Garden River on Oct. 17.

"We ask the public to remain vigilant and not approach any suspicious people and report all suspicious activity to police by calling 911 in an emergency and 310-RCMP in non-emergencies," RCMP said in a release Friday.

Residents and businesses between Holbein, past Nipawin and up to the Thunder Rapids area, particularly along Highways 355 and 55, are asked to check any video surveillance, doorbell camera and dash cam footage for any signs of a black Honda CRV with three suspects dressed in black and bandanas between Oct. 23 and the morning of Oct. 24.

"Saskatchewan RCMP is also asking residents of these areas to check on their neighbours to ensure everyone's safety," said the release.