A Regina mother received a frantic phone call from her son on Monday after she says a group of men chased him and his friends with pipes and crowbars.
Amy Dae said her 11-year-old son and friends were playing in the rink at Al Ritchie park when the men approached them. The kids ran into the Core Ritchie Neighbourhood Centre with their ice skates on and hid in a washroom.
“(The men) came around the corner here with pipes and crowbars and things chasing the kids, telling them they were going to hurt them,” Dae said.
Dae said thankfully some staff members were on-site and confronted the men who had run in after the kids.
When Dae arrived, about 10 minutes after the incident happened, she found her son and his friends hiding in a storage closet where staff had moved them to keep them safe.
“You don’t ever want to get a phone call from your child saying that they’re terrified and hiding in a washroom because somebody is threatening their lives, especially an adult; these are just kids.”
“They were trying to be brave but they were visibly shaken and scared,” she said.
Regina Police Service (RPS) told Global News they were called to a report of an incident around 4:50 p.m. that involved several people on Monday near the Core Ritchie Centre.
RPS said the investigation is still ongoing and anyone who has video or other information is asked to call the Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500 or Regina Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened in the area of the park, Dae added.
“Just fights and things like that. Lots of drug use they’ve seen in the park there,” Dae said, suggesting the problem is getting steadily worse.
Dae said the police response for this recent incident was “amazing” but she said she wants to see more safety measures for the community, like the reintroduction of a community police station.
In a statement, RPS spokesperson Lindsey Hoemsen said if community members have safety concerns, they are encouraged to reach out to police where an inspector in charge of the area may be able to meet with them.
If someone feels they are in immediate danger, they “should always call 911,” Hoemsen added.