Two Lac La Biche men have been charged with assault, various weapons charges, and theft of a motor vehicle in connection with an alleged robbery and stabbing in the Beaver Lake area.
The men were arrested in the Calling Lake area by Athabasca RCMP early in the afternoon on March 3.
According to Lac La Biche RCMP Sgt. Henry Van Dorland, the two men were involved in an incident in the Beaver Lake area on March 1.
Van Dorland alleges the suspects robbed a Beaver Lake man at gunpoint with a lever-action rifle, stabbed him with an unknown weapon, and stole his truck.
Lac La Biche RCMP received reports of the incident at about 6:30 p.m. March 1, and learned the victim was transported to William J. Cadzow Healthcare Centre by a civilian and taken into acute care. At Cadzow, witnesses gave police a description of the stolen truck, and told them the suspect was potentially armed with a knife and a firearm.
Police located a truck matching the witnesses' description later that evening. A short pursuit took place, with police following the vehicle along Highway 55 west of Lac La Biche. The pursuit was called off a short time after it began and Athabasca police were contacted.
Van Dorland said Athabasca RCMP then conducted a search for the truck and its occupants, eventually locating the truck and arresting the two men shortly after noon on March 3.
They were later transported into custody in Lac La Biche, and made their first appearance in Lac La Biche provincial court on March 9. Their case was adjourned until March 16. The full list of charges against the men has not yet been released.
Van Dorland said the stabbing victim is recovering from his injuries and been released from Cadzow.