Sawed Off Shotgun Seized During Traffic Stop

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

Constable Dan Schenkeveld displays the seized shotgun at a news conference

Prince George, B.C. -  Two Prince George men will appear in court this afternoon to face numerous charges, many of them firearm-related, in connection with what began as a stop for possible driving infractions, but turned up a sawed off shotgun.

RCMP say, at this point in time, none of the charges relate to Wednesday's homicide on Hemlock Street, where a 27-year-old city man was found lying dead in the snow of apparent gunshot wounds.  But police say any time a prohibited weapon is seized, the investigation branches out to look at its possible involvement in any crimes.

Constable Dan Schenkeveld, with the Prince George Task Force Drug Section, says he and his partner were working with the Serious Crimes Section on the homicide investigation yesterday afternoon, when a vehicle they had noticed earlier, again caught their attention.  Schenkeveld says he believed the driver was without a licence, based on a previous investigation.

Schenkeveld says the pick-up backed into the parking lot of the Child Development Centre on Strathcona Avenue and the occupants got out when the police cruiser turned on its lights and pulled to its nose.

The 24-year-old driver and his 27-year-old passenger were originally arrested for possession of stolen property when the licence plate turned out to be stolen.  Schenkeveld says a subsequent search of the vehicle turned up a backpack in the box of the truck that contained a sawed of Remington model 812 12-gauge shotgun.  He says it was open to fit in the bag, and the action was loaded.  He says serious attempts had been made to obliterate the serial number on the gun. (photo at left shows gun as it was found in backpack, courtesy of Prince George RCMP)

Both men were then arrested on several further charges.  Constable Schenkeveld says both men are well-known to police.  One of the suspects is subject to three seperate firearms prohibition orders, as a result of prior convictions.  Schenkeveld says, at the time of the arrests, the passenger was found to be wearing body armour -- a stab vest -- under his clothing. 

The officer says it's hard to say, at this point, if there is any connection to the murder in the Millar Addition, saying criminal activity typically ramps up in the days aferwards.  But he says all the evidence seized will be fully scrutinized to determine if there's a link.

photo below is provided courtesy of Prince George RCMP

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