Denecho King captured after manhunt
Accused killer surrenders during standoff in Yellowknife neighbourhood
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Saturday, August 13, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
It's over. A four-day search for Denecho King ended with his arrest Saturday in the Sissons Court area around 10:10 a.m. after a standoff that lasted several hours. The standoff appeared to end peacefully.
Officers led Denecho King, 23, away from a building along Sissons Court on Saturday morning. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo
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RCMP confirmed King was taken into custody in a news release Saturday morning and stated more details would be provided at a later time.
It was unclear how or when the standoff began.
The manhunt for King began Wednesday when he escaped the North Slave Correctional Centre. He was in jail awaiting further court appearances on charges of second degree murder and attempted murder.
Police had described him as dangerous and warned the public to avoid contact with him.
Leroy Mantla, a resident of Sissons Court, told News/North police were going door to door in the area at around 8 a.m.
The police presence in the area grew as the standoff continued.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., police began giving King instructions over a loudspeaker, including to leave the residence with his hands up.
"You are under arrest for being unlawfully at large," the man said through the loudspeaker.
"Let me go in, let me talk to him," said a woman who arrived at the scene around 8:30 a.m. It wasn't clear how she was connected to King.
The distraught woman would occasionally cry out at both police and reporters.
Between the repeated commands over the loudspeaker, RCMP would occasionally activate a siren.
As the standoff continued, two children watched through a window of a Taylor Road home until the curtains were closed.
"Why can't you just go in the house?" the distraught woman screamed.
A barking dog - the police dog was there - could be heard just before King appeared with his hands behind his back and two officers at his side.
A distinct scar was visible on his left pectoral muscle, as police had previously described.
He was taken to an RCMP truck where he was searched and then placed inside. A few minutes later the truck left and many of the officers began leaving the area.
After King was taken into custody, the woman who had been crying out asked for officers to return her keys.
Adrian Bell, deputy mayor of Yellowknife, called it a job well done by police.
"That's great news for Yellowknife. City council and Yellowknifers would like to thank RCMP for their excellent work and we have appreciated their updates throughout the process," Bell said.
The manhunt began at around 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday when sources say managed to climb onto the roof of the jail from an outdoor fenced area.
The Department of Justice is carrying out a review of how King escaped and isn't commenting on details of how it happened until the report is complete, which could be later this week according to spokesperson Sue Glowach.
