COMMUNITIES ON ALERT AS RCMP shooting DRAMA UNFOLDED south of Sedgewick

Communities surrounding Sedgewick were on high alert last week as RCMP officers searched for a suspect originally termed a person of interest who police said witnessed a gun battle that killed one man and sent two RCMP officers to the hospital with bullet wounds.            

By Friday morning, Feb. 10, police confirmed they had arrested Sawyer Clarke Robison, 27 without incident within 15 kilometres of the farm where two RCMP officers were shot. He was unarmed.        

The day before police  had officially charged Sawyer Robison with two charges of attempted murder in the shooting of two RCMP members from the Killam detachment and had issued a Canada-wide warrant   for his arrest.

As of press time Monday evening, police were still looking for a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado with Alberta plate UZE 545 and warning anyone who spots the vehicle to call police as opening the doors may prove dangerous.

Throughout the week residents in the Kinsella and Viking area said how, on initially hearing the news, they made sure they locked their doors on their homes and vehicles.

“I often used to leave my van unlocked but no more…it is locked now and it is a habit I will get into,” said one Viking business owner.

For more see the Feb. 14/12 issue of the Viking Weekly Review