WESTLOCK – RCMP have arrested three youth and are searching for one more youth in connection to a stabbing near the Long Island Lake RV Park in Westlock County last month. Police say the accused took the victim out of the Westlock area and suddenly attacked her in an attempt to kill her and left her in the forest to die.
An 18-year-old woman victim had suffered serious life-threatening injuries and taken to hospital then flown by STARS to an Edmonton hospital for further treatment. RCMP say she is expected to survive the assault.
Three eyewitnesses told Town and Country Today the “horror movie” that unfolded the night of Sept. 7 after the woman emerged from the side of the road covered in blood, alleging she had been stabbed and left in a ditch.
Mitchell was out riding his quad just after 9 p.m. when the woman appeared on the road yelling for help.
“She started running at us with her hands all bloody hollering, 'help me, help me, I need help,'” said Mitchell who was camping on Crown land in the area with several other people.
Mitchell said “she just dropped on her knees. I’m not kidding. It’s like something you see on Netflix. It was unbelievable."
Carly, another eyewitness, agreed and said, “It was like something out of a horror movie.”
Mitchell said it looked like she had been stabbed numerous times.
“The back of her neck had a laceration, and it was open this much, you could almost put your hand in it,” he said as he gestured with his hand to illustrate the width of several inches.
“She had a huge gash on her head. She had a bunch of puncture wounds on her back. Her clothes were shredded. She was mangled. She was brutalized. It was horrible.
Westlock RMCP was supported by the Eastern Alberta District General Investigations Section in the investigation.
“The Alberta RCMP dedicated a large number of investigators to quickly solve this priority investigation,” said Staff Sergeant Jeff Sehn, “the ongoing safety of the victim was and remains as our primary concern.”
RCMP have issued a warrant for the arrest of the fourth youth and is trying to locate the suspect.
None of the youth can be identified in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
If anyone has any information about this investigation or those responsible, please contact the Westlock RCMP at 780-349-4492. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www. P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.