A man is facing charges after allegedly pulling out a handgun at a northern Alberta rodeo.
Mounties were conducting patrols at the Grande Prairie Stompede at 10:15 p.m. on May 29 when they were approached by a person who said a man had pointed a gun at him.
Police attempted to talk to the man, but he ran.
Officers chased him on foot and arrested him.
During the arrest they recovered a 9mm Norinco handgun.
The gun’s serial number had been deliberately removed, according to RCMP, and the magazine contained 14 rounds of ammunition.
A 30-year-old Grande Prairie man has been charged with:
- possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose;
- carrying a concealed weapon;
- unauthorized possession of a restricted weapon;
- possession of a prohibited weapon;
- possession of a restricted weapon without a licence;
- possession of a weapon obtained by crime; and
- possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number.
“It is deeply troubling to see a loaded firearm produced in a crowded public setting,” Const. Kenji Welch of the Clairmont RCMP said in a news release.
“We remain committed to responding swiftly to these threats and ensuring that community events like the Stompede remain safe for everyone.”
The man was brought before a justice of the peace and released on conditions to appear in court in Grande Prairie on June 22.