‘The outcome we wanted’: Tip leads to arrest of suspect in Manitoba abduction

The man at the centre of a dangerous person alert has been arrested and a woman abducted from a Manitoba has been found. CTV’s Jon Hendricks reports.

A man at the centre of a Manitoba manhunt has been arrested and a 20-year-old woman police say was abducted from a northern community has been found.

Manitoba RMCP say a tip led officers to a home in Pimicikamak Cree Nation at around 11:15 a.m. on Friday, where police found and arrested Joshua Paupanekis without incident.

The woman police say was abducted in the community early on Thursday morning was found in the home with minor injuries.

She was taken for medical care as a precaution, Mounties say.

“Ideally, it’s the outcome we wanted. The priority was to find her safe and sound, which we did,” Manitoba RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre told CTV News.

In a social media post, Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias thanked community members who remained vigilant during the search, checked on neighbours and family, and RCMP and emergency responders for their work.

“We ask that community members respect the privacy of the victim and family and allow law enforcement and medical professionals to continue their work.”

Sargeant Manaigre told CTV News major crimes investigators will liaise with Manitoba Prosecution to confirm any appropriate charges for the incident.

None of the allegations have been tested in court.

Abduction triggers dangerous person alert, community search

The arrest stems from a call to police in Cross Lake just before 5:40 a.m. Thursday for a report of an aggravated assault at a home in the community.

Police allege a suspect went into the home and struck a 24-year-old resident with a hammer.

The suspect, who was also armed with a knife, then abducted a 20-year-old woman from the home, police said.

Mounties issued a dangerous person alert for Pimicikamak Cree Nation and the surrounding area for the 39-year-old suspect.

They alleged suspect and the victim are known to one another and investigators consider the incident an act of intimate partner violence.

The incident triggered a large-scale search effort in the community with multiple police units to find the suspect and the victim.

“They basically were working overnight and into the day,” Sgt. Manaigre said.

“We had a lot of personnel in that community conducting door searches, vehicle searches, snowmobile, drones. Even today, the plan was to start expanding outside the community.”

All the while, calls and tips were pouring in, RCMP said.

One led officers to the suspect and the woman they were searching for, Sgt. Manaigre said.

“One of those calls provided information on a possible location, which officers attend to this morning, and the results, like I say, were very positive.”

CTV News has removed the victim’s name and photo.