Friday’s Hay River police operation led to the arrest of a man accused of taking part in a West Edmonton Mall shooting and crimes in Fort Resolution, RCMP say.
Police confirmed on Monday that Leron John was among those taken into custody after an operation that saw residents of Hay River’s 553 neighbourhood told to shelter in place for half a day.
RCMP said they were initially called to the area over an alleged hostage-taking. While police said that claim “had not been substantiated,” 10 people were arrested and three subsequently charged in an incident officers linked to the drugs trade.
One of the three charged is 25-year-old Leron John, who was the subject of a Canada-wide arrest warrant over an August 2023 shooting that injured three people and triggered a lockdown at the West Edmonton Mall.
According to reports, four men were leaving the mall when a second group arrived in an SUV, after which the two groups exchanged gunfire.
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A number of evacuees from NWT wildfires were caught up in the lockdown, though none were hurt.
John is also accused of assault with a weapon, uttering threats and other charges in Fort Resolution. He was already under a release order barring him from being in the NWT other than to attend court.
He was named to Canada’s 25 Most Wanted for his alleged involvement in the West Edmonton Mall shooting.
Late last year, the Edmonton Police Service accused John of taking part in a “brazen outdoor shooting that took place at one of the world’s busiest shopping malls during daylight hours.”
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After his arrest on Friday, Hay River RCMP said John was charged with three counts of failure to comply with release order conditions.
Two others charged
Friday’s operation in Hay River centred on Pine Crescent in the town’s 553 neighbourhood.
Residents said armed police had been visible in the area since the early hours of Friday morning.
People were told to avoid the area or shelter in place until 3pm, at which point police said the incident had concluded with “a number of people” in custody. No injuries were reported.
RCMP said the other two people charged were 19-year-old Christ Nagateka of Edmonton, who is accused of failing to comply with release order conditions, and 26-year-old Yonis Jama, also of Edmonton, who is charged with failure to comply with undertaking conditions.
“At the time of his arrest he was subject to outstanding warrants for his arrest in both Alberta and the Northwest Territories relating to drug and weapons charges, as well as a charge for previously assaulting a police officer in Hay River,” RCMP said of Jama.
Police said the three had appeared before a justice of the peace and were subsequently remanded into custody.
