Two males: ages 22 and 31 are facing a total of 26 charges in connection with an incident that occurred just after midnight on Monday, May 20th. NOTE: This incident is not connected to five weapons incidents, on May 21st, described in an earlier news release. This incident occurred in the very early-morning hours of May 20th.
Officers were dispatched, initially, to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of the Northgate Mall. The vehicle, later found to be a stolen auto, was abandoned by suspects who ran from the scene. As members worked to create a perimeter, a canine officer and police service dog picked up a track which led to a stolen backpack and the keys from the stolen vehicle. The dog then successfully tracked one individual, later identified as a 31 year-old Regina male, who was detained as a suspect. Upon further investigation this male was charged in connection with this incident. Additional investigation led to charges in connection with two vehicle thefts, which occurred in July of 2018 and sometime between December 24, 2018 and January 3, 2019.
While en route to the same call for service, two officers were heading north-bound on Broad Street when they saw individuals, whose appearance fit the descriptions of the suspect males in the suspicious vehicle incident. The males were walking south on the Broad Street bridge. When the police vehicle turned and approached these individuals, one of them started to run and was observed emptying items from his pockets. The officer also saw the male discard a 2-foot long item. In spite of repeated commands to stop, the male continued to run. The officer gave chase on foot, joined by a second canine team. The male suspect tried to climb a fence, but was bitten by the police dog. The long item allegedly thrown by the suspect was a sawed-off shotgun. The suspect male, later identified as a 22 year-old Regina male, was taken to hospital for treatment of injuries and then transported to the police detention area.
Twenty-two year-old Eric Lee Alvin KAKAKAWAY and 31 year-old Stuart Michael George SABISTON, both of Regina, are jointly charged with the following offences:
- Careless use of a Firearm [86(1) CC];
- Possession of a Weapon (sawed off shotgun) [88 CC];
- Unauthorized Possession of a firearm [92(1) CC];
- Possession of a Prohibited firearm (loaded) [95(1)(a) CC];
- Possession of a Firearm with Altered Serial Number [108(1)(b) CC]; and
- Use of Firearm in Commission of an Indictable Offence [85(1) CC];
In addition Eric KAKAKAWAY is charged with:
- Breach of Probation [733.1(1) CC];
- Breach of Recognizance [145(3) CC]; and
- 2 X Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition Contrary to Prohibition Order [117.01(1) CC],
The total number of charges against Eric KAKAKAWAY is ten.
In addition to the above joint charges, Stuart SABISTON is charged with:
- Breach of Probation [733.1(1) CC];
- Breach of Undertaking [145(3) CC];
- Possession of Stolen Property under $5,000 (keys) [355(b) CC];
- 5 X Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition Contrary to Prohibition Order [117.01(1) CC];
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000 (car) [355(b) CC]; and
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5,000 (truck) [355(a) CC].
The total number of charges against Stuart SABISTON is 16.
Both KAKAKAWAY and SABISTON made their first court appearances on these charges in Provincial Court at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.