THUNDER BAY – Three people are facing drug-related charges following a high-risk arrest by city police late Tuesday afternoon.
Thunder Bay Police were dispatched on Tuesday just before 5:30 p.m. to a laneway in the 100 block of Heron Street following multiple reports of a fight involving two males, one of who was believed to be in possession of a loaded handgun.
According to a release, the males had entered a black car and fled the area before officers arrived, but the suspects were spotted by officers minutes later in the Tim Hortons drive-thru on 321 May Street North.
At this point, officers contained the area and conducted a high-risk arrest.
"At that time, one of them had actually dropped a bullet on the ground," said Thunder Bay Police Service Insp. Ryan Gibson. "While that was occurring a second call came in that a loaded firearm had been discovered on the 200 block of Rowan Street. Officers attended and were able to seize it.".
The three occupants of the car were arrested without incident, but officers did locate a live round of ammunition on one of the passengers.
Meanwhile, officers received another report from a resident who said they located a handgun outside of their home a short distance away from where the initial incident took place.
"We are very fortunate that the people who located this firearm did the right thing and called us right away and didn’t touch it. We are very happy about that," Gibson said. "This could have gone a number of ways and none of them positive. An illegal firearm is for only one purpose in my opinion and that is to cause bodily harm or death to another person."
Officers seized the firearm, which was loaded and had a live round in the chamber.
As a result of the ongoing investigation, police seized Xanax bars and suspected crack cocaine.
The seized drugs have an estimated street value of about $4,800 and about $2,265 was also found during the search.
"I can’t stress enough how disgusting this behaviour is personally," Gibson said. "It’s a huge public safety issue with any firearms offence obviously, but just the utter and total disregard shown by people coming here with these illegal firearms and what occurred yesterday is out of the norm so far, but I think it just shows the types of crimes our officers are dealing with."
Police charged a Nikita Sharma, 21, of Ajax. Ont, woman is charged with:
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm in motor vehicle
• Unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon
• Prohibited or restricted firearm: with ammunition
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of a schedule IV substance for the purpose of trafficking
Travis Taseen, 23, of Toronto man is charged with:
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm in motor vehicle
• Probation order non-compliance
• Pointing a firearm
• Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose
• Prohibited or restricted firearm: with ammunition
• Possession of a schedule IV substance for the purpose of trafficking
• Unauthorized possession of prohibited or restricted weapon
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of firearm/ammo contrary to prohibition order
A 17-year-old male from Toronto has been charged with:
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm in motor vehicle
• Obstruct peace officer
• Two counts of failing to comply with condition
• Unauthorized possession of prohibited or restricted weapon
• Prohibited or restricted firearm: with ammunition
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
• Possession of a schedule IV substance for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
The name of the youth is being withheld in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
All three accused appeared in court Wednesday morning and were remanded into custody with a future appearance date.
