SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A man police consider dangerous escaped jail Wednesday morning and is in Yellowknife, according to RCMP, prompting a heavy police presence in the Kam Lake area and the temporary closing of at least two city facilities.

RCMP officers speak with a taxi driver on Bigelow Crescent shortly after noon on Wednesday. Officers confirmed they were searching for Denecho King. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo

A police roadblock was established on Highway 3, the only route out of the city to the rest of the country.

Denecho King escaped the North Slave Correctional Centre at about 11:15 a.m., according to an RCMP news release. The public has been advised to avoid contact with King.

"King has a long history of (violence) and drug offences," RCMP stated in the release.

The 23-year-old man was described as five-foot eight inches tall, weighing 150 lbs with a medium build, of aboriginal ancestry and last wearing a green shirt and grey sweat pants.

King was in jail awaiting trial on a charge of second degree murder and attempted murder in connection with the death of John Wifladt and assault against Colin Digness.

He appeared in court Tuesday by video from the jail to set a date for a preliminary hearing later this year, according to his lawyer Jay Bran. Bran declined comment on Wednesday's news.

It wasn't clear how he escaped and the Department of Justice would not grant an interview Wednesday.

Police in tactical uniforms were in the Kam Lake part of the city while officers stood guard elsewhere, including above the city's public works garage and William McDonald Middle School where a soccer camp was taking place Wednesday.

Wendy Malkin was on her way to the school along Taylor Road to drop off a rain coat for her daughter who was attending the outdoor camp.

She was stopped by a municipal bylaw enforcement officer outside the fire hall. Concerned about the safety of her daughter, she was directed to a nearby RCMP officer who said the children were safe in the school.

"As of now, from what I've heard from the RCMP, he hasn't been caught yet," Malkin said around 12:40 p.m. "I know who it is so it's kind of a scary situation and I hope they get it settled soon."

RCMP state Denecho King escaped the North Slave Correctional Centre on Wednesday morning and is on the loose in the city. - photo courtesy of RCMP

Children taken off field

A Yellowknifer reporter covering the camp watched as an RCMP officer approached the director of the soccer camp at the school and whispered to him.

The children were called together from their games on the pitch and moved into a sea can shipping container at the back of the school for shelter.

As soon as the camp leaders had access to the the school, they moved the children inside to call their parents.

One of the directors said he had never experienced something like this at the camp before.

"Nothing ever like this," he said, looking out the window.

A line of parents soon came to the door looking for their children to take home.

Eventually, as fewer children remained, the mood in the hallway relaxed.

A police officer later came into the school to check on the remaining children and offer an update on the situation.

Bylaw enforcement officers were standing at the doors of the Multiplex and Fieldhouse off Kam Lake Road not allowing people inside around 12:30 p.m. Officer Sean Couvrette said the facility had been closed roughly an hour earlier.

Several men stood outside the doors of the Multiplex, including Ray Chiasson.

"I was at home when my wife brought my kids home from soccer camp - the camp was informed almost immediately that there was an issue and the camp was moving indoors because of the rain as well... so we very quickly found out what was going on and RCMP were present there almost immediately," he said.

"I've been through worse," Chiasson said, referring to his time living in Oromocto, N.B. when Justin Bourque shot five RCMP officers, killing three of them, in Moncton in 2014.

During the search for Bourque, there was what turned out to be a false report Bourque was in Oromocto, prompting panic in that community and people rushing home.

"That was worse compared to this. Obviously there's a concern but the (police) presence is significant which is nice to see," Chiasson said.

Nearby on Bigelow Crescent, RCMP officers in green tactical uniforms were showing a taxi driver stopped on the side of the road what appeared to be a photo on a cell phone.

A police dog was with the officers. An officer there confirmed they were searching for the escaped man.

The officers split in two groups around 12:20 p.m. and left in different directions, one group headed back toward Woolgar Avenue and another going down Bigelow.

Anna Washie, 13, was returning to a residence on Bigelow from a nearby park and noticed the police in the area.

"Oh, that's scary," Washie said when told about the search.

Later, officers in unmarked vehicles could be seen driving around 51 Avenue downtown, Forrest Drive, Con Road and Finlayson Drive.

Lydia Bardak, executive director of the John Howard Society in Yellowknife, is frequently in court and the jail.

"I can say that I've never heard of an escape from North Slave Correctional Centre," Bardak said Wednesday.

Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart, who represents the area that includes the jail and some of the area being searched, said his primary concern Wednesday was the safety of his constituents. He's asked for the justice department to provide him with updates.

Once King is located, he said attention will turn to figuring out what went wrong.

"Afterward we'll have time to ask the tough questions that we need to ask about how the situation happened," Testart said.

Police are asking anyone with information about King to contact them at 669-1111 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS, online at nwtnutips.com or texting NWTNUTIPS plus your message to 274637.

- with files from Joseph Tunney

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