Edmonton police have charged a 47-year-old man with kidnapping with a firearm after an Amber Alert was issued Friday. The charge is not related to the girl who was the subject of the alert, but to an attempted kidnapping that happened beforehand.
Edmonton police arrested the man after a 14-year-old girl was taken from an Edmonton school near 105th Avenue and 84th Street.
It’s alleged he drove up to the school at about 2:40 p.m. Friday, where he first approached a 14-year-old boy, police said in a Saturday news release. The man asked the boy about the 14-year-old girl, produced a hand gun, and yelled at the teen to get inside his red Nissan Maxima.
The boy ran away from the vehicle toward the school.
Shortly after the exchange, police said witnesses saw the man approach the 14-year-old girl near the school. Her cellphone was taken, and she “hesitantly entered the accused’s vehicle, which then drove away” police said.
An Amber Alert was issued around 4:10 p.m., and police arrested the suspect about 20 minutes later near 118th Avenue and 97th Street. The girl was found unharmed.
In addition to kidnapping with a firearm, the 47-year-old man has also been charged with intimidation, possession of an offensive weapon, use of a firearm while attempting an indictable offence, theft under $5,000, and two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Police said the kidnapping charge is related to the exchange with the boy, while the other charges are related to the whole incident.
“[The man] and the 14-year-old girl know each other and at this time, there is no sufficient evidence to lay charges in relation to the alleged abduction,” the police news release said.
The child protection section continues to investigate.