A 23-year-old Sherwood Park man is facing arson charges after a fire destroyed a prominent statue in the community late Friday evening, according to Strathcona County RCMP.
Emergency responders were called to the intersection of Athabascan Avenue and Broadmoor Boulevard around 10:25 p.m. on March 21, where they discovered the Sam Steele memorial statue fully engulfed in flames. Despite efforts by Strathcona County Emergency Services, the statue was deemed a total loss.
Sebastian Reddeman, a local resident, was located near the scene and taken into custody without incident. He has been charged with arson and failure to comply with an existing undertaking. Police have not yet disclosed a possible motive.
Reddeman was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in Sherwood Park on April 9.
The Sam Steele statue, a longstanding fixture in Sherwood Park, commemorated one of Canada’s most storied lawmen — a legendary figure of the North-West Mounted Police and a symbol of law and order during Canada’s formative years.
The RCMP is asking anyone with information about the incident or other criminal activity in the area to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
