RCMP officers seized illegal guns, drugs, ammunition, and cash, and arrested five people as part of a gang suppression efforts in Pelican Narrows from March 8-11.
The arrests and seizures are the latest in a series of targeted enforcement projects aimed at increasing community safety. Staff Sgt. Ryan Davies, the Pelican Narrows RCMP detachment commander, said support from the La Ronge Crime Reduction Team, Police Dog Services, and Traffic Services helped make the project a success.
“Together, we continue to take these dangerous weapons and drugs off the streets, which is incredibly important to reducing violence in Pelican Narrows,” Davies said in a press release.
The gang suppression efforts began on March 8 when officers received reports of gunshots being fired by a group of individuals who then fled the area. Police pursued a man who threw something while fleeing the scene. The man was arrested and found to be in possession of ammunition, while a police dog team recovered the thrown item—a restricted firearm.
Corbin Custer, 20 of Pelican Narrows was arrested in connection with the case. He faces three charges.
From March 8-9, officers arrested 28-year-old Kelly Ballantyne of Pelican Narrows following complaints about gunshots in a residence. Ballantyne faces multiple charges, including one count of weapons trafficking. Officers seized two restricted firearms while responding.
On March 9, officers made one arrest and seized 20 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of cocaine, and a sum of cash at a residence in Pelican Narrows. They also arrested 24-year-old Sunshine Ballantyne, who faces multiple charges, including one count of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, one count of possessing methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, and one count of failing to comply with a release order condition.
On March 10, officers arrested two men accused of chasing and firing a gun at a lone man on a residential street in Pelican Narrows. Drea Mccallum, 23, faces multiple charges, including one count of assault with a weapon and one count of possessing a restricted firearm. The second individual cannot be identified per the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Officers also found and seized a stolen gun while searching a residence for a wanted individual. The individual cannot be identified per the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The RCMP has stepped up efforts to combat gang activity in the community following a wave of violence over the last several months. In a press conference on Feb. 5, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Chief Karen Bird said violence in the community was causing generational trauma.
“It’s a crisis,” she said. “It’s more than just a rough patch. It’s an emergency.”
The RCMP said investigations into other calls will continue into the weekend.
