Edmonton, Alberta – The EPS Gang Suppression Team has arrested two men wanted in a violent assault that occurred at a downtown restaurant in April.
On April 21, 2023, at approximately 5:45 p.m., three males reportedly dragged another male out of a restaurant in the area of 111 Street and Jasper Avenue, then proceeded to violently assault him. All three suspects fled prior to police arrival. The victim, a 19-year-old male, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, and remains in intensive care.
While police were en route to the call, they located one of the suspects, Zachary Aarons, 21, and arrested him. He was found to have a loaded handgun on his person. He was charged with numerous offences, including aggravated assault, possession of a loaded restricted firearm, robbery, obstructing a Peace Officer and four breaches.
Warrants were issued for the other two suspects, Code Ouellette, 37 and Aireajah Taylor Francois, 20, who were not located that day.
On May 11, 2023, the EPS Gang Suppression Team identified the southwest Edmonton residence of Ouellette and arrested him on his outstanding warrant. He was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun with defaced serial number. Taylor Francois was also found to be living at the same address and was arrested on multiple warrants out of Alberta and Northwest Territories. He had a loaded handgun on his person at the time of arrest.
A search warrant for the residence was obtained, and police seized eight firearms, including two prohibited handguns, four prohibited semi-automatic rifles, a prohibited fully automatic submachine gun and a prohibited semi-automatic UZI submachine pistol. Police also located 11 prohibited devices, including over-capacity magazines and a functioning suppressor (aka “silencer”).
All firearms located were stored unsafely, with ammunition and magazines readily accessible nearby. Both Ouellette and Taylor Francois have firearms prohibitions. None of the three accused had valid firearms licenses.
The search also revealed 47 grams of cocaine, 53 grams of fentanyl and 15 grams of methamphetamine.
Ouellette and Taylor Francois were both charged with aggravated assault from the April 21 incident. In addition, they are both facing 27 firearms-related charges from the Gang Suppression Team investigation, as well as three drug-related charges.
“These individuals were wanted for an extremely violent assault that left a man fighting for his life in the ICU, and numerous prohibited firearms were located in their residence,” says Acting Inspector Eric Stewart of the EPS Organized Crime Branch. “Thanks to the excellent work of our Downtown Branch Patrol members, Investigative Response Team and Gang Suppression Team, we have been able to find these wanted suspects and get them off our streets.”
The firearms found in the residence were processed with the EPS’ IBIS instrument, and linkages have been made to other shooting events outside of Edmonton.
Edmonton Police Service
MRU #: 23R045
“Dedicated to Protect, Proud to Serve”
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