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
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Golf season a summer tourism driver in Canada
Golf is a sign of spring and summer and a major driver for seasonal tourism, experts say.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.