Man faces assault, weapons charges

Lethbridge police have charged a 29-year-old man with assault and firearms offences in connection with an incident on the weekend at a city mall.

At about 2:45 p.m. Sunday police responded to a report of a man with a handgun in the food court area of Park Place Mall in the 500 block of 1 Avenue South.

Police determined the suspect approached another man and indicated he had a gun. Given the high-risk circumstances, police responded with their side arms, carbine rifles and sock guns. One man was taken into custody without incident in the food court area, and a short time later two other men were arrested inside the mall, while a fourth was arrested downtown. No one was injured.

As of Tuesday a weapon had not been recovered, however, police believe it was a BB gun.

The suspect from the food court and the other two men arrested inside the mall, were later released without charges.

Jeffery Robert Weasel Head, 29, of Standoff, is charged with assault with a weapon, using an imitation firearm during the commission of an offence and causing a disturbance.

Following a judicial interim release hearing, Weasel Head was released from custody and, among other conditions, ordered to stay away from the mall. He is to appear in court March 2.

Shortly after the incident, a man who had been throwing tables around and causing a disturbance in the food court, was arrested under the Mental Health Act. The incident is unrelated to the firearms complaint.