Man accused of ramming gate at Rideau Hall with truck faces multiple charges
RCMP said security changes have been made at Rideau Hall
OTTAWA — A Manitoba man is facing 22 criminal charges after allegedly ramming his truck through a pedestrian gate at Rideau Hall Thursday.
Corey Hurren, a 46-year-old member of the military and businessman, made his first court appearance by teleconference Friday afternoon, about 30 hours after he was arrested by RCMP less than 200 metres from the front door of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s current residence. He has been remanded in custody until July 17.
The RCMP said Friday Hurren had several weapons on him, including at least one gun. They said he was loose on the grounds of Rideau Hall for 13 minutes early Thursday morning before police saw him. The Mounties then spoke with him for more than an hour and a half before he was arrested.
Hurren faces 22 charges, including one for uttering threats. The rest are all weapons charges, including two counts for possession of a restricted or prohibited gun, four counts for careless use, storage or handling of a firearm and four counts for possessing a firearm for a dangerous purpose.
At the brief court appearance, which happened by phone due to limited in-person court proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurren sounded calm as he said his full name and date of birth. He also confirmed to the judge he understood the proceedings.
His lawyer, Michael Davies, asked for the case to be adjourned until July 17. Assistant Crown Attorney Meaghan Cunningham said the Crown opposes releasing Hurren and agreed to the adjournment.
Neither Trudeau nor his family were at their Rideau Cottage home when the incident occurred. Gov. Gen. Julie Payette, whose residence is usually at Rideau Hall, was also not there at the time.
Trudeau said Friday this is the kind of event nobody wants to happen, but was thankful it was resolved without anybody getting hurt.
Deputy RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said the incident led to immediate security changes at Rideau Hall, but noted the RCMP never discuss the security that protects either the Governor General or the prime minister.
“I am very proud of all our people and our partners who moved fast and acted decisively to contain this threat,” Duheme said.
He said as far as the Mounties know, Hurren was acting alone, had “several weapons” on him including a gun Duheme later described as a rifle, and was not known to the RCMP before the incident.
Duheme wouldn’t go into a motive, or what the man did just before smashing through the public entrance to the sprawling property. That’s all part of the ongoing investigation, Duheme said.