A female suffered injuries and had her life threatened with a gun during a violent assault in Stratford early Tuesday morning.
Police on patrol in the area were flagged down by the victim shortly before 2 a.m. Officers learned the victim had attended a Cawston Street residence and was dragged inside, according to a Stratford Police media release.
The accused persons demanded the victim hand over her property - a purse, cash, and identification. The victim was assaulted and items were forcibly taken. The victim attempted to call police on her cell phone, also taken from her and smashed by one of the accused.
One of the accused threatened to shoot the victim while in possession of what appeared to be a handgun.
After the assault, the victim was pushed out of the residence where she was able to escape and flag down police, who were on patrol in the area.
Stratford Police Service Emergency Response Unit arrived. Shortly before 8 a.m., the three accused exited the residence and were arrested.
A search warrant for the residence later that morning resulted in the seizure of four replica pellet guns, a .38 Special bullet, brass knuckles, bear spray, $240 in counterfeit Canadian currency, and a bag containing more than one gram of suspected methamphetamine.
The victim's property was also located and returned to her.
The three accused persons are charged jointly with forcible confinement, assault, assault with a weapon, robbery with a firearm, careless storage of ammunition, unauthorized possession of a weapon (brass knuckles & bear spray), possession of a controlled substance, and possession of counterfeit money.
One accused was also charged with numerous firearms offences, including possession contrary to a prohibition order, which was issued after previous convictions for firearms related offences.
All three were held in custody to attend a bail hearing.
