Fort Smith RCMP seeking potentially armed youth after assault, theft in town near Alberta border

by


Fort Smith RCMP announced that Drea Lucas Mcallister is wanted for assault with a weapon and failure to comply with a probation order. The 17-year-old wasly allegedly involved in a pair of break ins Friday, during which a vehicle and
Fort Smith RCMP announced that Drea Lucas Mcallister is wanted for assault with a weapon and failure to comply with a probation order. The 17-year-old was allegedly involved in a pair of break ins Friday, during which a vehicle and “multiple” long barrel guns were stolen. Photo by Supplied

RCMP on the border between Alberta and the Northwest Territories have released details about a 17-year-old youth wanted by police after a series of overlapping crimes that have the small northern community on edge.

On Sunday, Fort Smith RCMP announced that Drea Lucas Mcallister is wanted for assault with a weapon and failure to comply with a probation order related to a Feb. 26 incident.

Investigators believe the 17-year-old was also involved in a pair of break-ins Friday, during which a vehicle and “multiple” long barrel guns were stolen.

Fort Smith, a town of 2,500, was placed under a shelter in place advisory Friday after a shooting and suspicious death, which led the local RCMP to call in reinforcements from other detachments.

Northwest Territories RCMP Insp. Barry LaRocque said Mcallister is not a suspect in those offenses.

“Right now, we do not have any suspects in the sudden death that occurred here in Fort Smith on Friday,” he said Sunday morning.

Police took the unusual step of identifying a minor in the interests of public safety, he said. A news release said Mcallister has access to weapons and is “believed to be dangerous.” Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Fort Smith RCMP.

A sign outside Fort Chipewyan, Alta., directing motorists to the northern Alberta hamlet and to Fort Smith, NWT.
A sign outside Fort Chipewyan, Alta., directing motorists to the northern Alberta hamlet and to Fort Smith, NWT. Photo by Vince Mcdermott /post media

Doug Flint, who lives a short distance south of Fort Smith in Alberta, said he was in town Friday picking up groceries when he noticed a surge in police presence.

“Friday was really confusing, for everybody,” he said. “The RCMP didn’t really understand what was going on, it took them a while to get adjusted. It sounds like there were actually two crime sprees going on at the same time.”

“Some people are really nervous,” he said. “Others are more like me, where it’s like ‘OK I need to take some precautions but don’t get too excited.’”

“The rumor mill is cranking out stuff, as usual,” he added.

On Saturday, RCMP urged residents in Fort Smith and surrounding communities to be vigilant and check garages and outbuildings for unusual activity. By that time, the shelter-in-place advisory had been lifted.

LaRocque said Sunday that the situation in the community remains fluid.

“Multiple investigations are continuing, and we’re determining the linkages between them,” he said. “Currently, we cannot unequivocally state who is responsible for each crime, but we are looking at all the different options.”

[email protected]

twitter.com/jonnywakefield

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user follows comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your e-mail settings.



Leave a Comment