Overview

• The accused, identified in court as 37-year-old Zain Alnoor Merchant, remains at the Calgary Remand Centre with a show-cause hearing set for next week following a brief appearance in Airdrie Court of Justice.
• He faces charges including abduction of a person under 14, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, kidnapping, forcible confinement, flight from a peace officer, and three counts of breaching prohibition orders.
• RCMP say at least seven children used Snapchat to arrange a meeting in Airdrie’s Coopers Crossing, where a 12-year-old voluntarily entered the suspect’s car so peers could record video before escaping at a red light and calling 911.
• Police attempted a traffic stop as the suspect fled south on Highway 2; with Calgary Police Service and HAWCS support, officers later arrested a suspect at a northeast Calgary residence and executed search warrants.
• Investigators collected civilian-shot video and digital material and cautioned that such evidence may be considered tainted, while noting prior police history tied to prohibition orders involving minors.