Officers intervene in violent home invasion, two suspects in custody

Last weekend, a family of six was victimized during a violent home invasion when two unknown and armed men gained entry into the family’s home, making demands, uttering threats and physically harming two of the family members before realizing they had targeted the wrong house. Thankfully, officers were able to intervene and successfully apprehend both suspects and provide the family with much-needed support.

On Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, at approximately 12 p.m., two men entered a home in the southeast community of McKenzie Towne, armed with a semi-automatic rifle and taser. The men proceeded to restrain the two adults with zip ties and duct tape while confining the four kids in a separate room. The men repeatedly demanded money, jewelry, and drugs from the adults, who protested that the offenders had the wrong house.

The men proceeded to tase both adult victims multiple times, threatening their lives and threatening to harm their kids. One of the adults was able to gain access to a phone and dialed 9-1-1, leaving the line open so that dispatchers could hear the dangerous situation unfold.

Police were dispatched and quickly arrived on scene. Both men were successfully apprehended, and officers were able to attend to the family inside. Thankfully, none of the kids were harmed. The adults were treated for their injuries on scene by EMS.

“What normally would have been an uneventful Sunday afternoon turned out to be a traumatizing experience for an innocent family,” says Staff Sergeant Krista Ryan of the Calgary Police Service General Investigations Unit. “Thanks to the quick thinking of one of the victims, police were able to quickly intervene and resolve a dangerous situation that could have turned out worse. The family is now safe and have been put in touch with the necessary supports and resources to help them recover from this horrific incident.”

As a result, a loaded GSG-16 .22 calibre semi-automatic riffle and a handheld taser were seized.

Tyler Justin KOWAL, 34, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Jessie Leslie LUNAN, 32, of Surrey, B.C., have been arrested and charged. KOWAL was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for an unrelated offence.

Both KOWAL and LUNAN have each been charged with one count each of break and enter, wearing a disguise while committing an indictable offence, assault with a weapon, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, possession of a dangerous weapon, pointing a firearm, possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order and two counts of possession of an unauthorized weapon.

KOWAL is also facing two counts of possession of a controlled substance, and LUNAN is also facing four counts of possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order.

Both the accused will next appear in court today, Jan. 19, 2022.  

We are committed to ensuring that Calgary remains a safe place to live. Addressing violence and  crime in Calgary is a priority for CPS and is being addressed by several areas of the Service through investigations, enforcement and suppression.

We remind citizens who witness suspicious activity to report it to police using the non-emergency number at 403-266-1234 or call 9-1-1 for a crime in progress. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through any of the following methods:

TALK: 1-800-222-8477

TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org

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