Two suspects sought after Wheatland Hotel robbery attempt prompts town-wide alert

By Melissa Crispin-Piche Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

An attempted armed robbery at the Wheatland Hotel on the evening of Oct. 24 prompted a town-wide shelter-in-place advisory in Strathmore as police searched for a suspect believed to be carrying a firearm.

Strathmore RCMP responded to the hotel at approximately 10:46 p.m. Police say a suspect entered with a firearm and demanded money but fled after an employee activated a panic alarm.

A second suspect entered the hotel at the same time and left with the armed suspect. According to RCMP, the pair drove away in a silver Chrysler 300.

The incident brought a large police response, including the RCMP Emergency Response Team, while residents were asked to remain inside their homes. Police also asked the public to follow officers’ directions and avoid posting photographs of responding officers on social media.

The shelter-in-place advisory remained in effect for approximately three hours before being lifted early Sunday. In its Oct. 25 update, RCMP said the suspect had not been located but was no longer believed to be in the area.

Strathmore’s RCMP staff sergeant Mark Wielgosz said the detachment followed standard practice by posting shelter-in-place updates on Facebook.

Looking back, he said, police could have focused the advisory more closely on the immediate area of the incident. He said the emergency alert system is reserved for extreme situations and that this incident did not meet the threshold for its use.

RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney, Public Information Officer with the Alberta RCMP Media Group helped to explain the criteria they follow when evaluating situations like these called Police Initiated Public Alert (PIPA). She stated that a review of the file confirmed the incident did not meet the criteria for a PIPA through the emergency alert system.

Guidelines for a PIPA set out four criteria; location, certainty, severity and urgency. The emergency must be rare or extreme, with a threat that is uncontained or cannot feasibly be contained through regular police methods. The event must be confirmed or imminently ongoing, pose a significant risk of death or grievous bodily harm to the public, and require an immediate warning beyond what normal police response or communication can provide.

Slaney acknowledged that the shelter-in-place advisory on Facebook would not have reached everyone, but said officers would have directly contacted residents facing an imminent threat. 

“We sent out a shelter in place, and we understand that not everybody gets those alerts, but if anyone in a particular area was under imminent threat, then the police officers would have gone to their houses.”

Slaney stressed that when the police post on social media that is just one small piece to an ever-evolving investigation with many factors affecting each individual case. 

Police have since released images and descriptions of the suspects as they seek help identifying them.

The suspect carrying the firearm is described as approximately six feet tall with a larger build and a medium complexion. He wore a mask, tan gloves, a black hoodie over a red T-shirt, faded blue jeans, a black belt and black Adidas shoes with white stripes. He was also carrying an Adidas duffel or gym bag.

The second suspect is described as approximately five feet nine inches tall with a slender build. They wore a black jacket, dark pants and black shoes.

The police releases did not specify whether anything was taken from the hotel or whether anyone was injured.

Anyone with information about the incident or the suspects is asked to contact Strathmore RCMP at 403-934-3968.