One of the firearms seized during an incident  late Friday  night in Prince George – images courtesy CFSEU

Prince George, B.C. – A drama that  unfolded Friday night in Prince George, has resulted in the arrest of two  men, and numerous charges.

Shortly before 8 on Friday night, members of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia’s (CFSEU-BC) Prince George-area office were alerted that a man, under investigation for  alleged possession of firearms and possible connections to  organized crime, was heading to a gravel pit on the Teardrop Forest Service Road, commonly used by Prince George-area residents for shooting guns.

CFSEU-BC members, responded and when they arrived they overheard numerous bursts of gunfire, which officers quickly determined was coming from at least one automatic weapon.

CFSEU-BC members then requested the assistance of officers from the Prince George RCMP Detachment and the RCMP North District Police Dog Services Unit.

About an hour later, the suspect and two women, got into his vehicle drove towards a roadblock that officers had set up.

The man ignored police challenges and quickly drove off the road, blowing one of his rear tires after hitting a culvert. No chase was given and the suspect was last seen swerving towards Chief Lake Road.

The suspect vehicle was located a short time later,  but because of darkness the area was secured by officers and plans were put in place to conduct a search in the morning.

While officers were securing the scene, two women were located nearby, both with wet clothing after falling into a nearby lake. Both were uncooperative with officers and arrested for flight from police.

The clock struck  12,  police were  advised a man was hiding behind a postal box located about 2 kms from where the suspect vehicle had been found.

An RCMP North District Police Dog Services officer with RCMP Police Service Dog “Baron” attended the area with Prince George and CFSEU-BC officers and located a car leaving the area. The car was stopped and one of the passengers was recognized as being an associate of the prime suspect.

The occupants were removed from the car, arrested, and during a search of the vehicle officers found the prime suspect hiding in the trunk. Police say their suspect  refused commands from  police, and  because  there was a chance he  had a firearm , Police  Dog Baron was  sent in to encourage the man to  surrender.

The suspect was eventually taken into custody and  taken to hospital for treatment of dog bites.

A search of the gravel pit, the route the vehicle took, and the route taken by the suspects who fled on foot was  searched by Officers and Baron,  resulting in the  recovery of five guns and  numerous rounds of ammunition.

Seized were:

• a .40 calibre Smith & Wesson pistol with three magazines,
• several high-capacity magazines for various firearms, and eight boxes of various sized ammunition
• a Kel Tec 9mm semi-automatic assault-style rifle,
• a Ruger .223 rifle,
• two 7.62mm SKS semi-automatic assault-style, and
• a shotgun.

A total of five people were taken into custody during the course of the incident, including the prime suspect. The two women and one of the men inside the second vehicle who were arrested were released with no charges pending further investigation. The other man inside the second vehicle was arrested and is currently remanded in custody on an unrelated charge.

The prime suspect, 22-year-old Ryan John Moore of Prince George, has been charged with one count of obstructing a peace officer, one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and one count of breach of a recognizance by allegedly being out past his court imposed curfew.

No firearms-related charges have been laid by Crown Counsel pending further investigation and a forensic examination of the firearms. A hearing is being held to determine whether he will be remanded or released from custody.