ESTEVAN - The Estevan Police Service has announced charges in connection with a shooting that occurred in the city on Monday night.
According to the EPS, William Joshua (Josh) Curtis, age 40, has been charged with one count each of attempted murder by discharging a firearm; pointing a firearm; discharging a firearm; aggravated assault; possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence; uttering threats; manufacture of ammunition while unauthorized; and possession of a firearm while prohibited. He is also charged with two counts of manufacture of a firearm while unauthorized.
All charges are under the Criminal Code.
Curtis made his first appearance remotely in Carlyle Provincial Court on April 10, and was remanded into custody until April 11 to speak to the charges. None of the charges have been proven in court.
In a news release, the EPS said that at approximately 8:23 p.m. Monday night, they received a report that an individual had been shot in the 1600-block of Third Street and that the armed male suspect had fled the scene. Immediate response to the occurrence included deployment of EPS patrol members, the Joint Tactical Support Team (JTST), Estevan RCMP detachment members, RCMP International Border Enforcement Team members, the Regina Police Service Air Unit and members of Estevan Fire Rescue Service and Estevan Emergency Medical Services.
While containing the scene and searching for the suspect, the EPS said they determined he had barricaded himself in a residence in the 1700-block of Third Street, where the EPS said he refused to communicate or comply with direction from members to surrender into custody.
The EPS said an RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) unit was subsequently deployed to the scene, where a tactical armoured vehicle and chemical agent were used to successfully arrest the suspect. No shots were fired during the ERT team's entry.
The victim received medical care stemming from a single gunshot wound. He was in stable condition on Monday night. No responding police, fire or EMS members were injured during the incident.
The Mercury and SaskToday will have more details as they become available.
