On March 29, 2018, Quesnel RCMP, the North District Emergency Response Team, as well as additional police units from Prince George and Williams Lake, executed a search warrant at a home in the 400 block of Willis Street in West Quesnel at around 8:45 a.m.
Quesnel residents may remember that several streets in the West Quesnel neighbourhood were blocked off and residents in the area were asked to stay inside their homes; police on the scene were directing traffic away from the area, and no vehicles or pedestrians were permitted to enter. The area encompassed Willis Street and Winder Street between Wade Avenue and Doherty Drive.
The Observer reported from the scene in March.
RCMP said at the time that several people from the Willis Street residence had been detained, but RCMP now reveal that the investigation was concluded with no charges being laid.
“In an effort to suppress criminal activity in Quesnel, our detachment received information and we acted on that information in a timely manner to ensure both police and public safety,” comments Sgt. Chris Riddle.
He says although the incident garnered interest from the media and public at the time, it was not an unprecedented event in the eyes of the RCMP.
Sgt. Riddle was not able to release any additional details on the nature of the investigation.
The incident took place near two schools, Ecole Baker Elementary School on Wade Avenue, which now houses a daycare, and Correlieu Secondary School, farther away on Anderson Drive.
“The Quesnel RCMP strives to ensure the safety and security of all citizens it polices. Therefore, we made the decision to advise the schools, which were in close proximity, simply to ensure no children or parents would be near the scene to compromise the investigation or anyone’s safety while the emergency response team carried out their actions. The public was never in any kind of danger,” says Sgt. Riddle.
The schools in the area went into voluntary lock down at the time to ensure the safety of students, teachers and daycare children.
–With files from Ronan O’Doherty
Related: Search warrant executed for West Quesnel home
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