Vehicle theft and arson “hate motivated” says Bonnyville RCMP

Suspects torched the vehicle a few blocks away from where it was stolen. Image credit: Bonnyville RCMP.

A confrontation where two people yelled racial slurs at a Asian man, stole his vehicle, and then destroyed it, is being called hate motivated by Bonnyville RCMP.

The incident happened at roughly 1:30AM on Thursday morning in Bonnyville as police were called to a convenience store parking lot.

RCMP said in a release that two suspects approached a male of southeast Asian decent and started yelling racial slurs at him and threw a slurpee at him in his car as he tried to drive away.  

This began a physical confrontation. One suspect allegedly tried to assault the victim as the other one got took possession of the car.

The suspects fled, then set the car on fire a few blocks away, police said, leaving it completely burnt.

RCMP quickly discovered the suspects were staying at a hotel. Police executed a search warrant and arrested the pair.

Kyle Ironeagle, 30, of Fishing Lake, and Bryton Stacey, 24, of Brantford, Ontario are both charged with robbery, arson, theft of vehicle and mischief over $5000. A bail hearing was held for both males and a Justice of the Peace released both males. 

By calling these seemingly random offences hate motivated, Sgt. Sarah Parke of the Bonnyville detachment says this can help illustrate the totality of the event in the courts.

Despite their being no hate related charges, it is reflected in the arson and mischief.

“It’s sort of an ingredient in the whole big picture,” Parke told Lakeland Connect.

“Upon conviction [if convicted], the judge will hopefully take that into consideration when handing that down. But there’s no crime for having bad taste.”

They are set to appear in Bonnyville Provincial Court on May 21st. 

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