Fort St. John RCMP arrest man in Mathews Park robbery

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — An individual is in custody and facing multiple charges after Fort St. John made an arrest connected to a robbery in Mathews Park.

According to a press release, multiple calls were made to the Fort St. John RCMP detachment with reports of a man brandishing and pointing what was believed to be a firearm at a local business’s staff in the Alaska Highway and 92A area on Thursday, June 18th.

Frontline members from the detachment responded and located a suspect leaving the area by foot. 

After a foot chase with the suspect, the man was tasered and taken into custody near Mathews Park, after which officers determined the object shown by the male was not a legitimate firearm but resembled one.

Ryan Allen Hick, 33, was held in custody, facing charges of robbery, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and breach of probation.

Fort St. John RCMP detachment media relations officer, Cst. Christiaan Dreyer says the incident “developed quickly,” and while officers discovered the object was not a legitimate firearm, it “did not detract from the seriousness of the situation.”