RCMP slaps 22 charges vs. suspect in Rideau Hall incident

FILE: Entrance to the grounds. The cast iron and stone fence behind the sentry boxes surrounds the entire property. (Photo: Paul Tavares/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) laid charges against a 46-year-old member of the Canadian Armed Forces who was earlier apprehended after he reportedly breached security measures to gain unauthorized entry to the grounds at Rideau Hall.

According to the RCMP’s news release, Corey Hurren from Manitoba province was slapped with four counts of careless use, storage and handlines of firearm; four counts of contravention of transport regulation of a firearm; four counts of possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose; one count of possession of a restricted firearm, knowing its possession is unauthorized; one count of possession of prohibited device, knowing its possession is unauthorized; one count of possession at unauthorized place; four counts of unauthorized possession in motor vehicle; two counts of possession of prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition; and one count of uttering threats.

On Thursday, July 2, Hurren drove his vehicle that breached the main pedestrian entrance of 1 Sussex Drive at 6:30 in the morning.

When his vehicle was disabled by the impact, Hurren, who was armed at that time according to the RCMP, walked to the Rideau Hall greenhouse where he was “rapidly contained” by the RCMP members who were patrolling the area.

Hurren was then apprehended shortly before 8:30 a.m. “without any incident” and was taken into custody for questioning. The chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) team also searched and secured his vehicle.

Rideau Hall is where Governor General Julie Payette as well as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family reside. The police said neither Payette nor Trudeau and his family were at home when the incident happened.

Payette earlier expressed her gratitude to the RCMP for their immediate action.

“We thank the RCMP and police for quickly resolving the situation this morning at Rideau Hall. All of our staff are safe,” she wrote in a tweet.

Authorities have yet to disclose information about the suspect’s possible motive, but RCMP Deputy Commissioner Mike Duheme assured that immediate measures were implemented to increase security at Rideau Hall.

“We will be conducting an after-action review as well as further analysis on the overall security posture and technology in place,” Duheme said.

Hurren is expected to appear in an Ottawa court on July 17.