In the most intense search yet for a suspect in the Ardeth Wood killing, officers from three police forces, an airplane and five canine units combed a wooded area in Aylmer yesterday looking for a man matching the description thought to be that of the killer.
Responding to a call at 1 p.m., the Gatineau police rushed to the intersection of Houle and Gibeault streets, near a wooded area with bike paths running through it. When police arrived, the man ran toward the woods.
"If he runs away on foot when the police arrive, your first question is 'Why?' -- since August 6," said Ottawa Police Staff Sgt. Monique Ackland, referring to the date Ms. Wood, a 27-year-old doctoral student, was killed on an Ottawa bike path. "If you have a person who runs away, you're going to try to find that person."
When the suspect fled, Ottawa Police responded by sending their airplane to assist in the search along with canine units. RCMP canine units also responded, and the search continued for five hours before being called off just before 6 p.m., when police gave up the unsuccessful attempt to find the man.
Staff Sgt. Ackland said that while police have been sending cruisers to respond to dozens of sightings of men who match the description of the tall, lean man thought to be responsible for the killing, so far this is the first time there has been a search of such duration.
Police still don't know whether the man they were tracking through the bush yesterday was the same man whose composite sketch they have been publicizing, or simply someone of similar appearance who had his own reasons for not wanting to talk to police -- but the response has to be the same in either case, they say.
"This type of call is given to dispatch immediately and we respond immediately. You cannot risk it," said Staff Sgt. Ackland. "It could be the guy, you never know. This one is exactly the same, except it's on the other side of the river."
Lt. Yves Martel of the Gatineau Police said that the canine units would have found the man if he were hiding in the woods so he must have gotten away by slipping back onto one of the neighbourhood streets which border the treed area.
He doesn't think the man will be seen in the area again.
"He won't go and take a walk in that area, I'm sure about that," said Lt. Martel. "Another thing that I can assure you is that the police officers that are regularly patrolling that area are going to be on the lookout. If he does live in that area, I think he's going to stay home or find a friend to get out of that area -- because he knows that this area is now what we call hot. Everybody who goes in that area in the next few days is going to be on the lookout."
Last night on Houle Street, a group of three men standing outside a house having a beer said they returned home from work around 5 p.m. to hear that police were looking for a man with a red shirt and eagle tattoo.
Residents describe the area as "rowdy" at times, especially in the warmer months when teenagers often have bush parties. The loading dock at the end of Houle Street which serves as an entrance to the Ottawa River is also a popular spot.