Police have arrested a suspect considered armed and dangerous after issuing a shelter-in-place warning to Ponoka-area residents during the search for the man.
Residents were told to stay inside, secure their doors and windows, and not pick up anyone on the road. RCMP also asked people not to post photos of law enforcement members on social media during the search, according to Canada Police Report.
A short time later, RCMP said they were seeking Zachary Dylan Littlechild, age 30, of Maskwacis. He was described as 6'3” tall, weighing 249 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair in a short buzz cut with blond highlights. Police said he was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and track pants.
RCMP said at the time that Littlechild was considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.
RCMP sent out a Police Initiated Public Alert (PIPA) to area residents while continuing the search for the suspect. The alert was still in place in the early hours of May 8, and RCMP conducted a thorough search of the area, with assistance from the RCMP Emergency Response Team, Air Services, Police Dog Service, and officers from detachments in Ponoka, Maskwacis, Red Deer, Wetaskiwin, Bashaw, and Leduc.
RCMP said they were putting additional patrols in place to increase resident safety and warned residents in the Ponoka and Maskwacis region to remain on alert. RCMP also advised seven schools in the area that regular classes could continue but schools should keep doors locked and students and staff should remain inside throughout the day.
By about 8:07 a.m. local time on May 8, RCMP lifted the alert and said residents did not need to continue staying locked in their homes.
Police announced at 10:20 a.m. local time that an arrest had been made, thanks to a tip from a member of the public about a suspicious individual. RCMP said they would release more information once charges against the suspect were laid.
