The Castlegar RCMP is investigating a break-and-enter that occurred early Sunday morning at the Chameleon Restaurant in downtown Castlegar.
The suspect may be injured after being shot at by the complainant.
Hartmut Kaden, the owner of the Chameleon and the complainant, says the incident occurred sometime between 4 and 5 a.m. He alleges that a white male entered the restaurant by breaking the glass pane in the front door before proceeding to the restaurant’s office.
Kaden and his family live upstairs from the restaurant and his wife says she was changing their infant son’s diaper when she heard the glass break.
“I had just changed the baby and I had the window open, so I heard the smashing glass,” says Marina Kaden.
She says she woke her husband, who went downstairs to confront the suspect, “arming himself with a small caliber handgun,” according to an RCMP press release regarding the incident.
Kaden found the man in the restaurant’s office but was soon blinded by bear spray.
“He sprayed me with bear spray, and well, I responded and shot at him one time,” says Kaden.
He’s unsure if he hit the suspect, but says his wife heard the man cursing outside the restaurant after he’d fled.
In the press release issued by the Castlegar RCMP — who responded to the incident — they say, “The complainant also stated that the suspect was wearing a brown hoodie and his face was covered.”
Asked for a further description of the suspect, Kaden estimated his height between 170 and 175 centimeters (approximately 5’7” to 5’9”) and his weight at “at least 80 kilograms” (176 pounds).
But he said it was his wife who got the best look at the suspect from her vantage point upstairs.
She saw the suspect exit the restaurant after her husband had shot at him, and says the man is definitely white and estimates his age to be 26 or 27 years old.
“He’s pretty young. He’s not more than 30,” she says.
According to the RCMP press release: “Investigators located clothing articles nearby, which they believe were associated [with] the incident. The suspect has not been identified or located and police would like to confirm the well-being of the suspect and ascertain further information as to what occurred.”
The Kadens say they would like to see more done to make Castlegar’s downtown safe, particularly at night. They would like to see the downtown patrolled at night, especially on weekends.
RCMP say the investigation is ongoing and request that anyone with information regarding the incident or who may have knowledge of the suspects’ whereabouts contact the Castlegar RCMP at 250-365-7721 or via Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
