Winnipeg police say a marked police car was stolen Thursday morning after they tracked down another stolen vehicle to the Flying J in Headingley, Man.

Around 2:30 a.m. police said they encountered a stolen car in the North End, and with the help of the Air1 police helicopter, tracked it to the gas bar.

Const. Rob Carver said it’s not clear if the suspects were aware other police officers on the ground were also tracking the stolen vehicle, and the incident escalated when officers appeared to watch two suspects try and carjack a vehicle at the gas station.

“We had to stop that, so officers are getting out, both people get out of the vehicle, they both fled, one was able to circle back and got into a police car, a stolen police car,” said Carver.

Carver said one person was arrested at the gas bar.

RCMP were called and another person was arrested about 10 kilometres away, in the area of the TransCanada Highway and PTH 26 by officers with the Winnipeg Police Service and RCMP.

“I think everyone in the police service is stunned,” said Carver.

He said the carjacking victim received medical attention and doesn't have any lasting injuries.

At the scene, a black SUV could be seen crashed into a black car, and another vehicle, a black Jeep, had two blown out tires.

Police said this incident required a lot of resources and over 300 calls for service were currently awaiting dispatch. Calls were triaged on a priority basis.

Police tape had been put up outside the Flying J, but has since been taken down.

Peter Friesen was falling sleep in the lot when he heard the commotion.

“I heard the squealing tires,” he said.

“Police SUV jumped the curb and you could hear the rubber and the metal smacking into the boulevard, so it was a pretty loud bang.”

“I think it was an hour and a half later I actually fell asleep, so I got up this morning and everyone was sitting around here. So a lot of the police cars were still here,” Friesen said.

AIR1 makes unplanned landing

Police said at one point officers about the Air1 helicopter made a tactical decision not to do go back to the hangar, and instead landed in an area that wasn't designated for landing.

Carver said he thinks they realized fuel reserves were low and landed where it was safe.

He said the helicopter couldn't be disengaged from the situation that was unfolding.

- With files from CTV’s Jamie Dowsett