Charges laid on suspect in officer involved shooting incident Friday

Cold Lake RCMP have laid charges on a man linked to a shooting involving a Mountie from Friday in the Ardmore area.

Police responded Friday to a break-and-enter in progress where “an interaction occurred resulting in a police officer discharging their service firearm,” RCMP said in a release late Friday night.

The vehicle fled but RCMP tracked down the suspects and arrested both.

RCMP said in an update on Monday that the suspect vehicle had been reported stolen.

A female was also taken into custody and was released, RCMP said, without charges.

Wyatt James Will Whitford (24) of Bonnyville is facing the following charges:

• Flight from Police
• Dangerous Operation of a motor vehicle
• Assault with a weapon on a police officer
• Resisting arrest
• Mischief (x2)
• Possession of stolen property
• Fail to comply (x5)
• Possession of a controlled substance

Wyatt Whitford has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in Cold Lake Provincial Court on Jan. 27, 2021.

RCMP’s Eastern Alberta District General Investigation Section has taken carriage of this ongoing break and enter investigation, Cold Lake RCMP said.

Emergency Medical Services attended the scene, RCMP said on Friday.

The Director of Law Enforcement was notified and the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has been directed to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.