RCMP arrest man suspected of kidnapping woman from Prince George hospital

Prince George RCMP say they have arrested the man suspected of kidnapping a woman from a local hospital Sunday afternoon.

The kidnapping happened just before 1 p.m. in the University Hospital of Northern BC. Witnesses told police they saw a man pushing a woman out of the hospital and into a waiting vehicle against her will.

The victim’s name has not been released, but she is 50 years old, was not discharged from the hospital, and was in need of medication.

Police believe the suspect is Lash Leroux, a 44-year-old Prince George resident who knows the victim.

At approximately 7 p.m., Prince George RCMP found Leroux’s vehicle next to a home. Upon entry, they found both Leroux and the victim, who has been sent back to University Hospital.

“This is not a random act,” said Prince George RCMP Cpl. Craig Douglass.

“This is a situation where for whatever reason, these two are known to each other. We don’t really know the motive…and that’s certainly a concern, and that’s why we’ve taken this unusual step to identity the suspect even before charges are made.”

Leroux has spent time in jail for obstructing a peace officer, being unlawfully at large and, most recently, breaching his release conditions.

It has been reported, in 2005 a man with the same name and age as Leroux was sentenced to four years for manslaughter for fatally shooting his friend after a booze and drug fuelled binge.

He is in custody and will appear in court today.

If you have information about the incident, you’re asked to phone Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300.

Photo of Leroux provided by RCMP