Red Deer RCMP make numerous arrests in crime hot spots

Red Deer, Alberta – Red Deer RCMP made a number of arrests while conducting proactive patrols in areas known for criminal activity, and located numerous suspects who were wanted on outstanding warrants. RCMP made more arrests while conducting compliance checks on individuals known to have court imposed conditions such as curfews; these strategies are key to Red Deer’s Pinpoint crime reduction focus on repeat offenders and emerging issues. Red Deer RCMP made more arrests thanks to reports from the public regarding suspicious activity, and thank Red Deerians for their continued support and vigilance.

May 5 – 2018

At 9 pm on May 5, RCMP responded to a report of a personal robbery after a man allegedly robbed a woman of her sunglasses at knifepoint in the area of 50 Street and 51 Avenue. RCMP responded immediately and located the suspect nearby on foot; he was arrested after a brief foot chase.

21 year old Zachary John Wahobin faces the following charges:

· Criminal Code 344(1)(b) – Robbery with weapon

· Criminal Code 129(a) – Resist/ obstruct peace officer X 2

· Criminal Code 88(1) – Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose

· Criminal Code 733.1(1) – Fail to comply with probation

Wahobin was remanded to appear in court in Red Deer on May 7 and is scheduled to appear next on May 23 at 9:30 am.

May 4 – 2018

Shortly before 3 pm on May 4, Red Deer RCMP located a truck that had been stolen out of Blackfalds and used On Star to track it as the truck moved through Red Deer. When it was safe to do so, RCMP had On Star shut down the truck in the Normandeau neighbourhood and arrested the male driver after a brief foot chase. RCMP located two stolen bicycles in the back of the truck and seized what is believed to be heroin, crystal meth and marijuana, as well as pepper spray, a knife and break-in tools

29 year old Bryan Anthony Penso faces

· Criminal Code 249(1) – Dangerous operation of motor vehicle

· Criminal Code 351(1) – Possess break-in instruments

· Criminal Code 355(a) – Possession of stolen property over $5,000

· Criminal Code 355(b) – Possession of stolen property under $5,000

· Criminal Code 88(1) – Possession of weapon for the purpose of committing an offense X 2

· CDSA 4(1) – Possession of Schedule I/ Schedule II substances X 3

· TSA 51(a) – Operate vehicle without holding operator’s license

· TSA 52(1)(a) – Operate vehicle without registration

· TSA 54(1)(a) – Operate vehicle without insurance

Penso was remanded to appear in court in Red Deer on May 7 and is scheduled to appear again on May 14 at 9:30 am.

May 2 – 2018

At 5:45 am on May 2, Red Deer RCMP responded to a report of a break and enter in progress at a business in north Red Deer after a witness reported observing a male suspect climbing over a fence to access the business. RCMP responded immediately and arrested the suspect without incident.

A 30 year old man faces a charge of Criminal Code 348(1)(a) – break and enter; he is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on June 26. His name cannot be released at this time as that charge has not yet been sworn before the courts.

May 1 – 2018

At 6:30 pm, RCMP attended a store in response to a report of a shoplifter, and arrested a woman who was found to be in possession of a number of stolen items and was wanted on numerous outstanding warrants.

23 year old Taylor Watkins-Paul was wanted on 21 warrants out of Innisfail, Red Deer and Canmore for multiple counts of possession of stolen property, failing to comply with conditions and failing to appear in court, as well as three traffic charges of driving without insurance. She now faces an additional charge of theft under $5,000 and two counts of failing to comply with conditions. Watkins-Paul was remanded to appear in court on May 4 and is scheduled to appear again on May 11 at 9:30 am.

April 30 – 2018

At 9:30 pm on April 30, RCMP responded to a report of suspicious activity in a north-end industrial parking lot and located a suspect who was found to be breaching court-imposed conditions, including a curfew.

19 year old Austin Joseph Pollock faces two counts of Criminal Code 145(3) – fail to comply with conditions. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 29 at 8:30 am.

April 30 – 2018

Shortly before 9 am on April 30, RCMP responded to a report of suspicious activity in a vehicle parked in Oriole Park. On arrival, RCMP located a suspect in the car who was wanted on outstanding warrants and was in possession of what is believed to be methamphetamine.

25 year old Tyler James Nugent was wanted on four warrants out of Red Deer for impaired driving, driving over 0.08, failing to attend court and a traffic charge; he was wanted on five warrants out of Sundre for impaired driving, driving while unauthorized, and several other traffic charges, and another warrant out of Didsbury for failing to attend court. Nugent now faces an additional charge of CDSA 4(1) – Possession of Schedule I substance (methamphetamine). He is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on May 18 at 8:30 am.

April 29 – 2018

Shortly before 2:30 am on May 29, RCMP on patrol in downtown Red Deer located a suspect who was wanted on two outstanding warrants for breaching his probation. At the time of his arrest, RCMP determined that he was further breaching his probation. In addition to his warrants, 39 year old Devlin Brighar faced a new charge of breach of probation. He appeared in court in Red Deer on May 4 and those charges have now been dealt with by the court.

April 26 – 2018

The evening of April 26, members of the Red Deer RCMP crime reduction team were on proactive foot patrol in downtown Red Deer when they located a suspect in possession of fentanyl and what is believed to be methamphetamine. The suspect gave a false name but was soon identified by police.

54 year old Dereck Kirkpatrick faces two charges of CDSA 4(1) – possession of Schedule 1 substances and one charge of resisting/ obstructing a peace officer. Kirkpatrick is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on May 9 at 1:30 pm.

April 25 – 2018

Red Deer RCMP conducted a curfew check on April 25 and determined that the man in questions wasn’t at the residence, in violation of his court-imposed conditions. Red Deer RCMP conduct conditions checks regularly on numerous individuals as part of the Pinpoint crime reduction strategy.

29 year old Tyler Kellington faces a charge of failing to comply with probation; he made his first court appearance in Red Deer on May 4 and is scheduled to appear again on June 18 at 9:30 am.

April 24 – 2018

Shortly after 2 am on April 24, Red Deer RCMP on bicycle patrol in Riverside Meadows noted suspicious activity and, on investigation, located a suspect who was in possession of what is believed to be cocaine. The suspect was further found to be wanted on outstanding warrants out of Red Deer.

In addition to the warrants, 22 year old Alli Kevin Halkett faces one charge of CDSA 4(1) – possession of Schedule I substance. He is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on May 8 at 8:30 am.

April 19 – 2018

A man who was arrested on April 3 for theft of mail is now wanted on warrants after failing to appear in court on April 13 to face those charges. The charges stem from a report received by Red Deer RCMP on April 3 that a suspect was seen breaking into apartment mailboxes. RCMP attended and located the suspect nearby in possession of a number of pieces of stolen mail. RCMP took him into custody and returned the mail to its owners.

28 year old Dallas Albert Rain is wanted on warrants for the following charges:

· Criminal Code 356(1)(a) – Theft from mail under $5,000 X 5

· Criminal Code 430(4) – Mischief under $5,000 X 2

· Criminal Code 145(2)(a) – Fail to attend court

If you have information about Rain’s whereabouts please call the Red Deer RCMP complaint line at 403-343-5575.

Related Topics:Arrests feature Red Deer RCMP

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Trump designates fentanyl a ‘weapon of mass destruction’

Published on December 16, 2025

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Following an alarming rise in fentanyl deaths in recent years, President Donald Trump is taking another step in cracking down on the deadly drug seeping its way onto American streets by designating it a weapon of mass destruction.

The president signed the executive order Monday during an event in the Oval Office, saying the illicit drug “is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic.”

The designation comes on the heels of the administration’s increasing military presence in the Caribbean, targeting narco-terrorists and “successful” meetings with Chinese leaders, who have vowed to crack down on the production of precursors of the drug.

Critics of Trump’s move want to address the fentanyl crisis through a different way. For example, a 2024 bill from attorneys general asking former President Joe Biden to do the same thing expressed concerns about political optics and the language akin to military. Overreach and blurred lines in domestic actions, such as rounding up users.

The order would provide the secretaries of the Department of War and Department of Homeland Security to “update all directives regarding the armed forces’ response to chemical incidents in the homeland to include the threat of illicit fentanyl.”

Trump said the fentanyl drug trade “threatens” national security by fueling “lawlessness” in the Western Hemisphere. This is the area of North America and South America, and the islands near each.

“The production and sale of fentanyl by foreign terrorist organizations and cartels fund these entities’ operations – which include assassinations, terrorist acts, and insurgencies around the world – and allow these entities to erode our domestic security and the well-being of our nation,” the order says in part.

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Hero bystander disarms shooter in Australian terror attack

Published on December 14, 2025

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Insane footage shows a bystander attacking and disarming one of the terrorists, who appears to have been armed with a long rifle, during today’s shooting attack on an event celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. pic.twitter.com/mJceco22bJ

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) December 14, 2025

The chaos that struck Australia on Sunday night produced one moment of astonishing courage: a Sydney shopkeeper, armed with nothing but instinct and grit, charged a gunman at Bondi Beach and wrestled the rifle out of his hands as terrified families ran for cover. Authorities say the act likely prevented even more deaths in what officials have already called an antisemitic terror attack that left 12 people dead and dozens wounded during a Hanukkah celebration along the water.

The hero has been identified as 43-year-old fruit shop owner Ahmed Al Ahmed, a father of two who happened to be nearby when gunfire erupted at the beachfront event “Hanukkah by the Sea,” which had drawn more than 200 people. Footage captured the moment he marched toward the shooter, grabbed hold of the rifle, and overpowered him in a brief, violent struggle. As the gunman hit the pavement, Al Ahmed momentarily pointed the weapon back at him but didn’t fire, instead placing it against a tree before another attacker opened up from a bridge above. He was hit in the hand and shoulder and is now recovering after emergency surgery.

A relative told Australia’s Channel Seven that Al Ahmed had never handled a gun in his life. “He’s a hero — he’s 100 percent a hero,” the family member said. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns echoed the praise, calling the scene “unbelievable,” adding, “A man walked up to someone who had just fired on the community and single-handedly disarmed him. Many people are alive tonight because of his bravery.”

Police say two shooters stepped out of a vehicle along Campbell Parade around 6:40 p.m. and began firing toward the beach. One gunman was killed, the other is in custody in critical condition. Detectives are also investigating whether a third attacker was involved, and bomb units swept the area after reports that an explosive device may have been planted beneath a pedestrian bridge. The toll is staggering: 12 dead, including one shooter, and at least 29 wounded — among them children and two police officers.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned what he called “a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah,” saying, “What should have been a night of joy and peace has been shattered by this horrifying evil attack.” Emergency crews flooded the beach as hundreds of panicked people sprinted away from the gunfire. Video shows one attacker firing down toward the sand from the bridge behind Bondi Park before being shot himself in a final standoff captured by drone footage. Both gunmen appeared to be carrying ammunition belts, with witnesses estimating up to 50 rounds were fired.

Australian police have cordoned off properties linked to the suspects and continue to canvass Bondi for additional threats. What remains clear is that Sunday’s attack was met with extraordinary acts of self-sacrifice, none more dramatic than a shopkeeper from Sutherland who walked into gunfire to stop further slaughter.