Man pleads guilty to pointing rifle

A man who admitted Tuesday to pointing a rifle at people in a busy Edmonton intersection was “happy, smiling or enjoying himself” while he did it, court heard.

Glenn Justin Ironchild, 37, pleaded guilty in provincial court to five charges related to the events March 14, which ended when he was shot by an Edmonton police officer who feared for his own life as Ironchild pointed the gun at him, according to an agreed statement of facts entered with the court.

Police received nearly 100 911 calls from people about 11:30 a.m. that day, reporting that a man was standing in the intersection 137 Avenue and 50 Street pointing a rifle at people and vehicles including a city bus, court heard.

When two police officers arrived on scene, one got out of the car and was standing about 25 to 30 metres from Ironchild, who pointed the rifle at the officer before any police commands could be issued.

According to the agreed statement of facts, Ironchild was looking through the scope at the officer in a “stable, low shooting ” position. The officer fired multiple shots at Ironchild, hitting him with the third round. He approached the downed suspect and kicked the rifle away.

Court also heard that less than an hour before going to the intersection, Ironchild posted a video to his Facebook profile under the name Occo Ironchild that showed him holding the rifle that was later recovered at the intersection.

A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Jan. 23, 2018.