A LOCAL MAN has been charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder following a double shooting in Thornhill early Saturday afternoon.
Travis Stephens, 29, remains in custody, charged with the death of Eric Cardinal, 27.
A 29-year-old woman was taken to Mills Memorial Hospital with a serious but non-life threatening gunshot wound.
An extensive manhunt began after a yellow pickup truck was observed leaving the Dobbie St. area of Thornhill where the shootings took place.
It was then found abandoned on a rural forest service road in the Kleanza Creek area east of Terrace and Thornhill.
Officers from the Terrace RCMP detachment, the area's emergency response team and a police dog and officer converged on the location. A helicopter was also involved.
"RCMP soon located and arrested 29 year old, Travis Leslie Stephens, who was found down an embankment trying to hide from police," said a police release.
The arrest was made shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday night.
"RCMP have confirmed that Stephens was known to the victims and the incident was drug-related. All individuals involved are known to police," the police release stated.
Stephens is to appear in Prince George supreme court Sept. 18.