A 32-year-old man from Oliver was due in court Friday to face charges including robbery and uttering threats
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Kamloops RCMP say a man robbed a gas station and used his three-year-old child as a human shield when confronted by the cops.
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A 32-year-old man from Oliver was due in court Friday to face charges.
An RCMP officer was in the middle of a traffic stop in the parking lot of the gas station in the 3200-block of Westsyde Road around 7 pm Thursday when he was told an armed robbery had just happened.
“The suspect had allegedly entered the gas station holding the hand of his small child and after walking around the store, approached the counter and demanded money,” said Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet in a release. “During the course of the robbery, the suspect had pulled up his shirt from him, exposing the butt of what appeared to be a firearm.”
The officer saw the man and child leave the gas station and spotted them nearby.
“While it is deeply disturbing that someone would commit a robbery with a child, it is even more concerning that he is alleged to have threatened the officer and used his child as a shield, by putting his child between himself and the officer,” said Shoihet.
He eventually released the child who ran to a nearby family member.
After a brief struggle, the man was arrested and found to be carrying a replica gun.
Charges were expected to include robbery, uttering threats, breach of a firearms prohibition and resisting arrest.