Shelter in place lifted, 4th suspect outstanding after Niagara kidnapping sets off manhunt

A 20-year-old man and two teens are in police custody and one suspect is outstanding after an alleged kidnapping set off a manhunt for suspects in Niagara Region.

The incident, which the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) is calling “targeted,” happened Tuesday afternoon near Concession Road 6 and Wallandport Road in the Township of Wainfleet.

Niagara police said uniformed officers responded to a report of a disturbance at a rural residenceat 5:19 p.m.

Police said they learned that the initial incident began earlier in the day when a male youth had been “taken against his will by four suspects.”

Investigators said the victim was driven to a second address, which was the location of the disturbance call. There, they said, the four suspects then attempted to take a second male youth against his will.

Police said the suspects, which they initially believed to be five individuals, were armed with guns and knives. Upon further investigation, investigators deemed there to be four suspects.

At least one shot was fired during the incident,but no injuries were reported.

During that altercation, police said, the suspect vehicle became stuck in a ditch stranding the four suspects in the largely rural area.

Officers dispatched to the scene located and arrested one of the suspects nearby.

Additional NRPS officers assisted in establishing a perimeter. Members of the force’s K9 Unit and Emergency Task Unit were called to the scene to conduct a search and track down the remaining three suspects.

Niagara police also asked Ontario Provincial Police for help in their investigation and one of their helicopters attended the scene, they said.

Two more suspects were located and arrested around 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Around 10:30 p.m., police asked residents in the Wainfleet area to shelter in their homes “out of an abundance of safety.” That request was lifted shortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday when NRPS said they concluded the search for the final suspect.

Police said despite an “exhaustive” four and a half hour search, the fourth suspect remains outstanding.

Two 16-year-old boys, one from Pelham and one from Niagara Falls, and a 20-year-old man from St. Catharines have each been charged with kidnapping, use of a firearm during the commission of an offence, attempt to commit an indictable offence (kidnapping), and use of firearm while attempting to commit an offence.

The identities of the teens cannot be revealed under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Police said at this time they’re not disclosing the name of the adult offender due to the “associations of all three accused parties” as it could lead to identifying the two younger accused individuals.

All three accused were held in custody pending a video bail hearing on March 1.

Police said theinvestigation remains ongoing.

Police said there is no continued threat to public safety and thanked area residents and the Wainfleet community for their “patience throughout the incident.” They also thanked the OPP for providing the helicopter used during the search for the suspects.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact NRPS at 905-688-4111, Option 3, ext. 1009318, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or https://crimestoppersniagara.ca/.