Kidnapping charges pending after 5 naked people arrested south of Edmonton

RCMP say charges are pending for kidnapping and resisting arrest in connection with a two-vehicle crash in Nisku on Monday.

Investigators said a man, woman and a six-week-old baby from a Leduc County home were “forced into a vehicle against their will” at around 9:30 a.m. The man, who was put in the trunk, was able to escape, police said. They said the woman and the baby managed to get away a short time later.

A witness picked up all three in his truck, which was rammed from the back by the suspect vehicle. RCMP said the suspect vehicle ended up in the ditch.

Five people — all from the suspect vehicle — were arrested on Township Road 510 at around 9:45 a.m, RCMP said Monday. All five were not wearing clothes.

Leduc RCMP said two of the five suspects arrested were youths and have been released with no charges. Three adults remain in police custody.

“Charges are pending against the adults for kidnapping and resist arrest,” RCMP said in a news release Tuesday afternoon. “Investigation remains ongoing into several other components of this incident.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Charges are pending against the adults for kidnapping and resist arrest," RCMP said in a news release Tuesday afternoon. "Investigation remains ongoing into several other components of this incident."

The three people who were forced into the vehicle were not injured, RCMP said.

RCMP believe this was a targeted incident and all parties know each other. Investigators said Monday they believe drugs and alcohol could be factors in the collision.

READ MORE: 5 naked people arrested in crash south of Edmonton 

Dustin Horutko works in the area. He was on his way back from a supply run shortly before 10 a.m. when he came across the scene on Township Road 510.

“There was a big commotion, cops everywhere,” he said. “Car in the ditch and it looked like they were trying to get in the car, they were all surrounding it.

“All of a sudden, they got in the car — I think they ripped the doors off — then I saw bodies come flying out and they looked like they were wearing really light clothing until they were closer to me and I realized they were all naked.”

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Horutko said it looked like all five were women in their 20s.

“They walked them straight back to the cop car naked. He tried opening the doors and he couldn’t get in the one side.

“Then he tried the other side but he still couldn’t get in so she stood there for 30 seconds, no clothes on,” Horutko recalled.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Then he tried the other side but he still couldn't get in so she stood there for 30 seconds, no clothes on," Horutko recalled.

He said witnessing a scene like this — about 15 RCMP vehicles and people being arrested naked — was unbelievable.

“Just a wild morning… It was just crazy,” Horutko said. “If I didn’t have the picture, no one would have believed me.”

At the time of the crash, the temperature was about -8 C in Nisku.