A Nanaimo man is facing numerous firearms offences after he was arrested for allegedly pointing a weapon at a witness.
According to a Nanaimo RCMP press release, a witness called police May 2 to report a man had pointed a gun at him and then fled. Police responded and arrested the suspect, who was allegedly in possession of a loaded handgun, a short time later behind a building near the intersection of Fifth Street and Princess Street in Harewood.
The arrest resulted in seven charges being approved by the Crown against a 51-year-old Nanaimo man including pointing a firearm, possessing a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public peace, and possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm – in this case a .45-calibre handgun – without a licence to possess the weapon.
The same day as the arrest, members of Nanaimo RCMP’s special investigations unit searched the suspect's residence and seized multiple firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a pipe bomb, which was successful disposed of by the RCMP explosive disposal unit.
The accused remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in provincial court in Nanaimo on Tuesday, May 13.
