Man says he made a mistake in pulling pellet gun on three P.E.I. teens

A Cornwall area man who brandished a pellet gun at three teenagers near a school was sentenced Friday to 90 days in jail.

Phillip Zachary MacLennan, 19, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to uttering threats.

The court heard the RCMP responded to a complaint on March 1 at around 1:48 p.m. from a teacher at East Wiltshire Intermediate School after three students reported someone threatening them with a gun.

All three students were 14 years old and said they were walking to a nearby restaurant for lunch when MacLennan drove by in his car and honked his horn.

The students said MacLennan gave them the finger and one of them responded with the same gesture, although MacLennan told police it was the other way around.

MacLennan turned around, stopped his car, got out and held a black pellet gun in the air.

The victims said MacLennan threatened to beat them up and pulled the trigger several times, which made a clicking sound.

Crown attorney Gerald Quinn said the gun looked like a real black pistol.

MacLennan later found two of the boys who said he approached them and told them they weren’t smart to run before he shook their hands and told them to have a good day.

When the police pulled his vehicle over later they found several knives, two pellet handguns and a pellet rifle in the car.

The court heard MacLennan told police he realized he made a mistake after the incident and apologized to the victims.

Quinn said MacLennan was “virtually inviting tragedy” by pulling out the gun the way he did.

Orr said when people start waving guns around nobody stops to ask if they are real.

Along with the jail time, which he will serve on weekends, MacLennan will be on probation for 18 months during which time he is banned from contact with the victims and must write them apology letters.

MacLennan is banned from going within 400 metres of East Wiltshire Intermediate School and must pay a $100 victim surcharge.

Orr also issued a 10-year weapon prohibition.

After sentencing MacLennan, who the court heard was working on getting training in a skilled trade, Orr said he has an opportunity to get his red seal certification and get a good job.

“Don’t be doing such stupid things next time,” she said.