Barrhead RCMP arrested 31-year-old Curtis Powder on Wednesday, Jan. 28, after pursuing him for two weeks.
Powder was arrested and charged with two counts of assault after his girlfriend and her brother were beaten at her residence in Barrhead on Jan. 15. Powder is now facing additional charges of resisting arrest, and mischief after the incident on Wednesday.
A warrant was out for Powder’s arrest concerning the two assault charges. At approximately 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Barrhead RCMP attended an apartment on 51st Ave. to make an arrest.
“We had a tip that said he was in that apartment on 51st Avenue, so we went there and knocked on the door, and while we were talking to the folks that live there, he ran out the window and took off,” Sgt. Bob Dodds said.
Police outside of the residence pursued Powder on foot, but were unable to make an arrest.
The RCMP contained the area in search of Powder.
The suspect was in the neighbourhood adjacent to Barrhead Composite High School and Barrhead Elementary School, and as a precaution, Dodds requested both schools use their lockdown procedure.
“The last thing we need is those schools emptying out for lunch and all of these kids in the area where we are chasing this guy who may or may not have a handgun,” Dodds said. “That’s what prompted us to ask the schools to keep the kids inside.”
“It wasn’t a lockdown per se where we believe there is a threat to the school and the students, it was more of a shelter-in-place situation where we just want them not to come outside,” Dodds said. “At the end of the day they did a whale of a job in keeping the kids out of harms way.”
The officers had an individual approach them as they were setting up the containment perimeter with information regarding Powder’s whereabouts.
“This person had seen our suspect run into a house on 54th street, so that narrowed it right down,” Dodds said.
Powder had sought refuge in the home of an extended family member.
“It was kind of frustrating because he had people on the outside trying to help him,” Dodds said.
While the RCMP were containing the residence they received several false phone calls.
“We had one anonymous phone call saying that someone was breaking into their mother’s place and she was being murdered, so that is someone trying to draw us away from that scene,” Dodds said. “We got a second phone call from someone saying that Curtis is held up in a four-plex, and obviously he wasn’t.”
Dodds made a phone call to the residence, and asked that the man and two children vacate the home.
“I called in there, and there was a second male and two children in there… I told him what was going on and I said I want you and the kids to come outside if you can so that you are not going to be in there with Curtis,” Dodds said, adding the RCMP still believed he had a handgun at the time.
As the man and the two children left the residence, Powder fled through the same door, running towards the back alleyway.
“There were some of our members waiting there for him so he was arrested at that point,” Dodds said.
Dodds added the date of Powder’s trial has yet to be determined, but it will be within the month of February.
“He is in custody until his court date,” Dodds said.
After receiving consent from the homeowner, officers searched the residence, the handgun possessed by Powder was not recovered but a rifle was found.
Powder has a lengthy criminal record, and it’s a relief to have him in custody, Dodds said.
“I am so satisfied and so relieved to have this guy, he is potentially extremely violent,” he said. “To have him in custody is a big relief and to do it without anyone getting hurt.”
“Everything went as well as it possibly could have,” Dodds added.
Dodds said that the ultimate goal was achieved with the help of the staff at both schools.
“Our goal was achieved in that we kept the kids from being placed in harm’s way, and I am happy with that,” Dodds said, adding that the Westlock RCMP assisted Barrhead with the arrest.
