Update: Magazine recovered – Public assistance requested after female takes Kingston Police gun magazine
UPDATE (Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2022 at 11 a.m.)
Kingston Police have provided an update regarding the recovered gun magazine previously believed to have been picked up by a female civilian.
In the outlining the events of the day — Saturday, Mar. 19, 2022, two days after St. Patrick’s Day as partying continued in the University District — and the ensuing investigation, Kingston Police explained in a phone interview that they had ample reason to believe the woman in question may have been in possession of the magazine. Investigating officers pouring over video footage from the events — during which a Kingston Police officer was assaulted with a drink container — observed what appeared to be something falling to the ground near the officer in question, and the blond civilian woman bend over to pick something up at the same time.
After police released photos of the blond civilian, she came forward to police and indicated that she was, in fact, picking up a personal belonging that she’d dropped when she bent down during the moment viewed on video footage.
While fully verifying the civilian’s accounts of the events and exonerating her of any wrongdoing, the ongoing investigation recovered the magazine of ammunition that was previously unaccounted for, police said late on Tuesday, Mar. 22, 2022.
The magazine of ammunition was never in possession of a member of the public, and there was never any threat to public safety, Kingston Police explained.
Police are thanking the civilian woman for coming forward promptly, fully cooperating with the interview and investigation processing, and helping in the continuing investigation, which centres around the assault of a Kingston Police officer during the street partying on Aberdeen Street on Saturday, Mar. 19, 2022. Anyone with information regarding that assault is asked to contact Sergeant Jim Veltman at 613-549-4660 x 6300, or via email at [email protected].
UPDATE (Tuesday, Mar. 22, 2022 at 11:40 a.m.)
The gun magazine that became dislodged during an attempted arrest and subsequently went missing has now “been recovered” and the woman whose photos were earlier circulated by police is no longer a person of interest, Kingston Police said on the morning of Tuesday, Mar. 22, 2022.
On Monday, Mar. 21, 2022, Kingston Police reported that a gun magazine belonging to a Kingston Police officer had become “dislodged and landed on the pavement” after the officer was involved in a brief struggle with a male being arrested. That incident had knocked said officer to the ground, according to police. At the time police reported the missing magazine, they also released four photographs of a female they said had been observed on video picking up that magazine “immediately” afterwards. These events transpired during St. Patrick’s Day events on Aberdeen Street on Saturday, Mar. 19, 2022.
Since then, police have spoken to the woman and determined that she did not take the magazine, according to a press release from Kingston Police. The woman came forward and identified herself following the release of the photos, police said.
“The woman spoke with investigators and it has been verified she did not pick up the missing firearms magazine,” police said in the release.
“Kingston Police wish to thank the woman for her cooperation in coming forward and helping to quickly resolve this incident. The magazine with ammunition has since been recovered, there are no further public safety concerns, and no charges are pending in regards to the missing police property.”
Kingston Police did not respond immediately to requests for information regarding when, how, and where from the magazine was recovered. Kingstonist will update this article as more information becomes available.
Police continue to investigate the assault on a Kingston Police officer, which occurred at the same St. Patrick’s Day events on Saturday, Mar. 19, 2022. Anyone with information regarding that assault is asked to contact Sergeant Jim Veltman at 613-549-4660 x 6300, or via email at [email protected].
Original article:
As the investigation into the injury of a Kingston Police officer during St. Patrick’s Day events continues, police are now asking for public assistance in relation to another aspect of those events.
The incident involving the injury of the officer took place at approximately 2:18 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 19, 2022, on Aberdeen Street. According to Kingston Police, “seconds prior” to the officer being assaulted with a beverage container, that officer was attempting to arrest a male party. The male in question pulled away and fled, causing the officer to fall to the pavement, Kingston Police said in a press release on Monday, Mar. 21, 2022.
The male was apprehended and arrested by other officers quickly, however, during the initial struggle between the male and the officer, the police were unaware that a magazine with ammunition was “dislodged and landed on the pavement.”
“Investigators reviewing the video observed the magazine was immediately picked up by a female party-goer,” Const. Cam Mack of Kingston Police said in the press release. “The female joined three other people, and they were last seen walking west on Johnson Street.”
The female who took the magazine, who was captured on video, is described as having long, blonde hair, a white jacket, a green jersey-style shirt with the number ‘41’ on it, and a white skirt or shirt dress.
“Kingston Police strongly encourage the immediate return of this ammunition and magazine, and strongly encourage anyone with information regarding the officer being assaulted with a beverage container to come forward,” Kingston Police said.
Anyone with information regarding the taking of the magazine with ammunition or the parties involved in that matter, or with information pertaining to the assault of the officer with a beverage container is asked to contact Sergeant Jim Veltman at 613-549-4660 x 6300, or via email at [email protected].
Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling the Kingston Police general number (613-549-4660 ext. 0) and asking to remain anonymous.