RCMP searching for suspect after woman and daughter kidnapped
Manitoba RCMP are on the hunt for a Winnipeg man after a woman and her daughter were briefly kidnapped near Portage la Prairie Friday afternoon.
Portage la Prairie RCMP say they were first called to a hotel parking lot around 4:30 p.m. Friday. Reports said a man was acting erratically in a parking lot and possibly consuming drugs.
When officers arrived, they tried to speak with the man. He put his van into reverse, ramming it into the police car. The suspect then drove off, trying to hit police as he went. The van was later determined to have been stolen from Winnipeg.
Mounties drove after the suspect vehicle, but broke OFF the chase because of its dangerous driving, including into oncoming traffic. Police continued to search for the van.
At 5:20 p.m., police received a 911 call from a woman living just east of Portage la Prairie. The call was disconnected, but a male and female voice could be heard before it went silent. Officers went to the residence and learned that a 25-year-old woman and her two-year-old daughter had been kidnapped and their vehicle had been stolen. The suspect’s van was found nearby.
Believing the suspect to be headed towards Winnipeg, RCMP mobilized every available unit and notified the Winnipeg Police Service. RCMP Air Services and WPS AIR1 were also called to assist.
Around 6:30 p.m., the abducted woman called police, saying the suspect had fled her vehicle and that both she and her daughter were safe in the Polo Park area. The victim and suspect were not known to each other.
An Amber Alert was in the process of being sent out before she called police.
The suspect has been identified as Michael Stephen Klimchuk, 62, from Winnipeg. He is 5’8”, 220 lbs, has long brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a camouflage jacket and light coloured pants. He is believed to be in the Winnipeg area.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact police.
This is a developing story. CTV News Winnipeg will update it as more details become available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial has fined him US$1,000 for violating his gag order and sternly warned the former president that additional violation could result in jail time.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreak spreads, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
When grief and AI collide: These people are communicating with the dead
AI tools can offer recommendations, answer questions and 'talk' with users. But some users are using them to recreate the likeness of the dead.
Russia warns Britain and plans nuclear drills over the West's possible deepening role in Ukraine
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.