After releasing “sparse” details related to an incident that seriously injured a man in downtown Yellowknife, RCMP say its public plea for witnesses has led to assault and robbery charges for a 19-year-old.
A man was treated for “serious” undisclosed injuries at Stanton Territorial Hospital in the early hours of Friday, March 22 before being transported to Edmonton for further medical treatment. The incident prompted Mounties to issue a news release on Tuesday that they later conceded may have seemed “unusual.”
The news release called for witnesses who observed suspicious activity in the area of 50th Avenue and 50th Street, the alleged location of what was then described as an “incident,” to come forward to police, citing a need to determine “how the male was injured.”
The RCMP offered no further details.
Late Friday, the Mounties stated 19-year-old Jordan Charlie had been charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and robbery.
“Thanks to media publishing the request, with sparse details due to the nature of the investigation, the call for witnesses went out. As a result (RCMP) was able to identify a suspect,” stated spokesperson Marie-York Condon Friday.
The initial news release, absent of details about the alleged assault, was part of the investigative process, stated police.
“While it may seem unusual for RCMP to request a call for witnesses to an event without many details, it is important to understand that this is an investigative tool used by our members as they continue an investigation,” added York-Condon.
Police thanked both the public and the media.
Additional information related to the alleged assault won’t be released due to a publication ban, stated RCMP.
Charlie remains in custody following his arrest.