BONNYVILLE - Two people have been charged following what police described as "hate motivated crimes" that took place in Bonnyville on April 25.
At 1:30 a.m., Bonnyville RCMP were dispatched to a 911 call regarding a reported robbery in a convenience store parking lot where two people allegedly approached a man of Southeast Asian decent "and started yelling racial slurs at him and threw a Slurpee drink at him in his car as he tried to drive away," according to RCMP.
"This was followed up with the suspects engaging in a physical confrontation with the victim, and while one suspect attempted to assault the victim the other hopped in his car and the two suspects fled in the victim’s vehicle," according to information from RCMP.
The vehicle was set on fire a few blocks away and "was completely burnt," according to police.
An investigation into the "hate motivated crimes" resulted in the suspects being identified as individuals who were staying at a nearby hotel. The two suspects were located and arrested. A search warrant was executed.
Kyle Ironeagle, 30, of Fishing Lake, and Bryton Stacey, 24, of Brantford, Ont., are both charged with robbery, arson, theft of vehicle and mischief over $5,000.
A bail hearing was held for both males and both men were released. They are set to appear in Bonnyville Provincial Court on May 21.
