A nicotine withdrawal may have been behind a violent situation on Thursday after a 16-year-old boy became confrontational with a 55-year-old man in downtown Red Deer.
At approximately 7:40 p.m. the man was having a cigarette break in City Hall park, at the 4900 block of 48th Avenue, Red Deer City RCMP said.
The boy, who was intoxicated, approached the man requesting a cigarette. After the man declined to share, the boy allegedly brandished a knife and demanded a cigarette, police said.
Within seconds of the incident, Red Deer City RCMP Cst. Shaun Marchand arrived on the scene, as he was on a routine bicycle patrol.
The teenager was arrested without incident and charged with robbery and four counts of breach of Youth Criminal Court orders.
The boy, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been remanded to appear in Red Deer provincial court next Thursday.
If you have information on this incident you are asked to call the Red Deer City RCMP at 403-343-5575 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.