Mounties are descending on a town southwest of Gillam, Man. on tips B.C. teens wanted for murder were seen there.
Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, are charged with three murders in northern B.C.
They have been the subject of a police dragnet for more than a week across western Canada.
RCMP are urging people not to post any photos or information about the whereabouts of officers online.
In a Facebook post, Chief Leroy Constant of York Factory First Nation warned residents to stay indoors and remain calm.
More to come.
I think there needs to be an investigation into how this was handled.
You had 2 teens. Charges were only for the Prof. Leonard Dyck. That was 2nd degree charges for murder. The teens were spotted with Mr. Dyck’s vehicle.
Likely their own vehicle broke down on the rougher northern roads. It is very possible it was a joyride, vehicle stealing even gone wrong. Possibly Mr. Dyck tried to stop them, could have been a scuffle. If this had gone to court it may have been found to be manslaughter even. We don’t know. But the media went crazy.
Then there was the couple that was shot. We have no idea how two kids, with less than 6 months work at a Walmart could have had the money to buy the camping supplies, money for gas and food as well as money for any type of firearm. We know Bryer did not have money because his dad previously bought him an Airsoft air gun which is a toy. Firearms are not easy to come buy without a licence where these kids came from, which is a poor town, with difficulty in getting any jobs. Its weather is warm, there are not the bugs, nor the cold. It is basically a playground with respect to elements compared to the northern communities. These kids were likely suffering from beaver fever with the water, eaten alive by noseeums (sandflies) and all the rest of the flying bugs in that area, as well as all the swamps, thick brush. They would have crawled out in poor weakened shape begging for help if left alone long enough.
These kids did not have any record of violence. They were “geeky” kids that played camp in their backyards and Rust video game for survival on a pc. They were naive, sheltered kids, likely not anyone paying attention to them.
Then you have the media telling everyone these are dangerous kids.
They were only named suspects for the young couple. There was nothing to make them even able to press any charges. There also were other suspects but because of these two missing and having Mr. Dycks vehicle they got shoved to the forefront.
All the contacts they had with people were non violent, friendly and even respectful. That does not sound like people that just decided to go out and kill people.
The RCMP did not say, “be careful as these are people of interest and may be dangerous, please report”, they said they are “armed and dangerous”. then the next thing you know are photo ops of military with AR15 firearms storming around York Landing telling everyone to stay inside.
These kids would have been exposed to all the splashy headlines making them out to be the next Ted Bundys’, at any general store, on the radio, at the gas station, etc. For all the media, and if it was an accidental death with the professor these teens would definitely be hiding scared from everyone.
They would think any and everyone would be out to harm and hunt them down.
It may have been none of them, it could possibly mean one of them broke down and then the other one was pretty well stuck with him. Or it could have been both of them. But this really and truly does not seem likely.
How? They do not have a history of bullying or violent. The least likely path is that they both or even one of them killed the second couple. Where would they get firearms and ammunition? Normally firearms and ammo have to be separated where they come from. And there is not a lot of gang activity in Port Alberni cause there isn’t the money to buy that amount of drugs that would entail weapons along with it..
In the North people depend on their firearms and even though not separated they are careful with them.
The RCMP should have spent more time getting the newspapers to report, “Please come in for questioning, you will be safe” instead of hunting them down like they were Columbian drug lords.
If they were brought in alive we would have found out how they were involved with all 3 deceased. That would have been the most comfort for the families of now all 5 of the deceased.
The York Landing intrusion. Everyone is told to stay indoors – 2 shots were fired, by the officers. So they say that was to say where they were??? They do have radios and walkies so why? Magically a week later the teens bodies are found, been dead for some time (similar to the spread of time interval as York military intrusion). Could one of their own have accidentally killed them and then dropped them in Gillam? That is the worst scenario, but what is to say it isn’t true? The way this operation was executed we don’t know and really all could be possible paths?
This was a botched operation and also terrifiying for all people in these areas.
This was not a professional and safe approach to making the least harm for all concerned.