Dog Prevents Shooting Spree

[Taz]

Scott Stinson
National Post
Thursday, June 24, 2004

TORONTO - A New Brunswick man who drove to Toronto with a vehicle loaded with guns and ammunition and a mind bent on murder turned himself into police in the east end yesterday after a chance encounter with a playful dog.

Detective Nick Ashley of 55 Division said last night the man in his 40s, who was not named, told a police officer near the intersection of Leslie and Eastern streets at about 5 p.m. that he had a handgun in his pocket and he "was going to start shooting people."

His car contained five guns, including two handguns, and 6,296 rounds of ammunition. Police said the man, who they believe has a history of mental illness, said he intended on embarking on a random killing spree. Among the items seized was a hooded mask.

Det. Ashley said the man drove to the park near the water filtration plant near Victoria Park and Queen Street East, got out of his car and began loading his handguns and getting his rifles ready.

The man's encounter with a dog may have saved many lives, Det. Ashley said. "As he was getting ready to start shooting, a pedestrian walked by with a couple of dogs. One of the dogs kept going up to the suspect, trying to play with him -- it had a Frisbee."

"Now, this man is a dog lover and he had some moments with the dog, then he decided that if there were people in Toronto with nice dogs like this, then he didn't want to kill them."

The suspect went back to his car and drove until he found a police officer to surrender to. "We were pretty lucky tonight," Det. Ashley said. "Someone should be buying that dog dinner."

He said the man had been planning a murderous spree since 2002, when he started stockpiling the ammunition. "This man, due to a number of issues, said he wants to be locked up forever, and he felt the way to do that would be to kill a lot of people."

Police said all of the guns were purchased legally, but the suspect faces a number of weapons-related charges. At least one weapon was semi-automatic, police said.