Winnipeg man Clay Byron Starr charged in the kidnapping of 16 year old

As previously released, on Wednesday, June 23rd, 2011 just before 10:00 p.m. Winnipeg Police Service Members responded to the area of the 1800 block of Elgin Avenue West for a report of shots being fired.

Upon arrival, officers learned that a lone male suspect had approached a parked Chevrolet Lumina that was occupied by two female youths. The suspect entered the driver’s seat of the vehicle, indicating he had a gun and immediately fled at a high rate of speed towards Keewatin Street. One of the females, 16 years, managed to escape the vehicle however the second female also 16 years, was unable to exit before it sped away.

Numerous police units began searching the area. At approximately 10:30 p.m. an emergency call was received from a female within the St. Francis Xavier/ Marquette area of Manitoba, indicating that she needed assistance.

While driving on Highway 26 the suspect male stopped the car and told the victim to exit the vehicle. The victim flagged down a passing Pontiac Sunfire being driven by a 21 year old male. As the 21 year old male victim was assisting the female victim, the suspect returned and ordered both victims into the Sunfire, while indicating that he had a gun. After the female victim entered the vehicle the suspect sped off quickly, subsequently dragging the 21 year old male victim several meters before the managed to free himself. He sustained minor injuries to his upper and lower body and was treated on scene by Paramedics.

The stolen Sunfire was driven for several more miles before the vehicle broke down and the suspect directed the victim to an area nearby where a serious sexual assault occurred. The victim was then directed by the suspect to enter a vehicle nearby in a yard area however the vehicle did not start. As the suspect was attending to another truck nearby the victim fled from the suspect.

When the suspect male fled the scene in a stolen Chevrolet pickup truck, the victim attended to a residence and police were contacted.

At approximately 11:40 p.m. police received information that a suspect male had attempted to steal a truck in the area of Portage La Prairie, Provincial Road 430, however this he was unsuccessful.

Minutes later officers were advised that a Polaris quad, along with a Yamaha dirt bike had been stolen from a locked compound. The value of the off road vehicles are estimated at $10,000.

Then shortly after midnight, a Winnipeg Police Service Tactical Unit received information that a quad ATV had attended to a gas station in Portage and fled towards the town of Portage La Prairie at a high rate of speed after failing to pay for gasoline.

Air1 located the quad ATV travelling at a high rate of speed near the west end of the town and continually communicated and coordinated the information to ground units.

A Tactical Team Unit spotted the quad and activated their emergency equipment however the male driver refused to pull over and instead continued off road into a gravel pit area. Given the terrain in this location, a number of police cruiser cars immediately become stuck and inoperable.

Air1 maintained a constant visual of the suspect and directed units to the specific location where the suspect male had abandoned the quad and was now travelling on foot.

At roughly 1:00 a.m. as a result of the combined efforts of numerous officers, including uniform members from the Winnipeg Police Service and the RCMP, as well as the Winnipeg Police Service’s Street Crimes Unit, Canine Unit, and Air1, a suspect male was located hiding in the area of the Portage Diversion. The police service dog was deployed and the male was taken into custody.

Clay Byron STARR, 20 years of Winnipeg has been charged with the following offences for his alleged involvement into this incident:

– Sexual assault with a weapon
– Kidnapping while using a firearm
– Utter threat to cause death or bodily harm x2
– Robbery with a firearm
– Dangerous operation- motor vehicle
– Flight from police officer
– Theft Under x4
– Break and enter and
– Breach of probation

STARR has been detained at the Winnipeg Remand Centre.