Playful dog defuses shooting spree plans
Last Updated Thu, 24 Jun 2004 10:30:18
TORONTO - A New Brunswick man who called off a shooting spree after a chance encounter with a friendly dog is to appear in a Toronto court on Thursday to face several weapons charges.

The 43-year-old man, who turned himself into police Wednesday afternoon, said that he'd loaded his car with guns and ammunition in New Brunswick before setting out with plans of randomly shooting Toronto residents.


Some of the weapons seized by police
On arriving in east-end Toronto, the man reportedly went into a nearby park to load his weapons.

There, he told police, a playful dog approached him. That encounter apparently changed his mind.

He got back in his car and began looking for police. At about 5 p.m., he spotted a cruiser and turned himself in to the surprised officer.

Police said the man was carrying a loaded semi-automatic handgun when he approached the officer.

A search of the suspect's car turned up two rifles with scopes, a shotgun, a revolver, an air rifle, a machete, a hunting knife, a throwing knife, a camouflage mask and netting, and 6,296 rounds of ammunition.

The man reportedly told police that he planned the killing spree in order to get himself imprisoned for life.

He was taken into custody on several weapons charges, including carrying a concealed weapon, possession of ammunition for a dangerous purpose, careless storage of a firearm and unauthorized presence of a firearm in a motor vehicle.