Rideau Hall attack could have been an assassination attempt

OTTAWA — Court documents outlining allegations against Corey Barclay Hurren, arrested after a truck was crashed through the gates of Rideau Hall, suggest the attack may well have been an assassination attempt, featuring a direct threat against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and four loaded guns — a handgun, a semi-automatic rifle and two shotguns.

Two of the guns were either restricted or prohibited, including a loaded Norinco M14 rifle, which is a prohibited firearm under the May 1 Liberal government ban on “assault-style firearms.”

Hurren, 46, who was an active member of the Canadian Armed Forces, was arrested Thursday after breaching the grounds of the residence where Trudeau and his family live, and charged Friday with 22 criminal offenses.

The charge details were released Monday.

Hurren “did knowingly utter a threat to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or convey a threat to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or cause Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to receive a threat to cause death or bodily harm to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,” the charge sheet says.

The other 21 charges all involve his firearms and ammunition.

The list of charges filed in court itemize the arsenal Hurren allegedly had with him after arriving in Ottawa from his home in northern Manitoba.

Court documents allege he had:

• A loaded “Hi-standard revolver,” which is a restricted firearm for which he had no license to posses. There are no details given. It presumably is a High Standard gun, which commonly fires .22 calibre bullets, but also comes in a .357 Magnum version. They are sold with various barrel lengths, including a long model that looks like the guns in old cowboy movies.

• A loaded Norinco M14 rifle, a prohibited firearm. The M14 is a retired military weapon now common with hunters. Although it isn’t specified, most M14s are semiautomatic.

• A loaded Lakefield Mossberg shotgun, which is a non-restricted firearm. The Canada-made 12-gauge, pump action shotguns come in different barrel lengths.

• A loaded Grizzly Arms shotgun, which is likely a mistake meant to refer to a Dominion Arms Grizzly Mag shotgun, which is a non-restricted firearm. The shotgun is based on the design of one of the most popular pump-action shotguns, and is used in sport shooting, hunting and by police and military.

Hurren is also charged with having a prohibited high-capacity magazine, although which gun it is for is not given. It likely was for the M14.

The court documents do not specify how the threat against Trudeau was communicated. The RCMP earlier said officers spoke with Hurren for about 90 minutes during a low-key armed standoff. Media reports also say a note was found in the truck.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Hurren, of Bowsman, Man., is a member of the Canadian Rangers and was considered on duty at the time as part of Operation Laser, the Canadian military’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

None of the guns involved were Canadian Armed Forces weapons, the military said. The Ranger rifle he was issued is still in the possession of the Canadian Rangers, the military said.