Family of 6 mistakenly targeted in Calgary home invasion
A Calgary family of six is recovering after being terrorized during an armed home invasion that targeted the wrong residence.
The family was at their home about noon on Sunday in the southeast community of McKenzie Towne when two men armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a conducted energy weapon suddenly burst inside demanding money, drugs and jewelry, police said in a release.
The men tied up two adults with zip ties and duct tape and confined four children in a separate room. They then used the conducted energy weapon on the adults who were tied up while threatening their lives and threatening to harm the children.
One of the tied up adults was then able to dial 911 on their cell phone and left the line open so dispatchers could hear what was happening.
Police arrived soon after and two men were arrested. The two adults were treated by EMS and none of the children were harmed.
"What normally would have been an uneventful Sunday afternoon turned out to be a traumatizing experience for an innocent family," said Staff Sgt. Krista Ryan.
"Thanks to the quick thinking of one of the victims, police were able to quickly intervene and resolve a dangerous situation that could have turned out worse. The family is now safe and have been put in touch with the necessary supports and resources to help them recover from this horrific incident."
Police seized a loaded GSG-16 .22 calibre semi-automatic riffle and a handheld Taser.
Tyler Justin Kowal, 34, of Winnipeg, and Jessie Leslie Lunan, 32, of Surrey, B.C., are charged with one count each of:
- Break-and-enter;
- Wearing a disguise to commit an indictable offence;
- Uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm;
- Possession of a dangerous weapon;
- Pointing a firearm;
- Possession of a loaded prohibited weapon;
- Possession of a weapon contrary to a prohibition order, and;
- Two counts of possession of unauthorized weapons.
Kowal was also wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for an unrelated offence.
Both are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.