Niagara Regional Police have released further details regarding a a shooting incident in Wainfleet on Tuesday evening. Police say that at 5:19pm, officers responded to a report of a disturbance in the area of Concession Road 6 and Wellandport Road. The initial investigation determined that earlier in the day a male youth had been taken against his will by four suspects and driven to a second address, the location of the disturbance call, where the suspects attempted to take a second male youth against his will. The suspects were armed with firearms and knives. At least one shot was fired during the incident. During the altercation, the suspect vehicle became stuck in a ditch, stranding the four suspects in the largely rural area. No one was injured injured. NRPS officers arrested one of the suspects near the scene. Officers from the NRPS K9 Unit and Emergency Task Unit were called to the scene to conduct a search / track for the remaining three suspects. The NRPS requested the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police and one of their helicopters attended the scene. Out of an abundance of safety Wainfleet residents in the area were asked to shelter in place. At approximately 7:00pm officers located and arrested two more suspects. Despite an exhaustive 4 and a half hour search of the area, the fourth suspect was not located. The shelter in place request for Wainfleet was subsequently lifted at approximately 12:50am Wednesday. Two 16-year-old males, one from Pelham and one from Niagara Falls, face multiple charges, including kidnapping. Due to the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the identity of the two accused parties cannot be disclosed. A 20-year-old St. Catharines man also faces several charges, including kidnapping. Due to the associations of all three accused parties, the identity of the adult male is not being disclosed as it may lead to the identity of the two younger accused. All three parties have been held in custody pending a video bail hearing scheduled to take place on Wednesday at the Robert S. K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines. Investigators believe this was a targeted incident and there is no continued threat to public safety. Anyone with information is asked to please call (905) 688 – 4111, Option 3, extension 1009318.
