Man loses gun privileges for two years over ‘selfish’ text to ex

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on May 31, 2023.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

A Medicine Hat man who drunkenly texted an ex-girlfriend that he was about to take his own life, before “scuffling” with police, will lose access to his guns for two years and will have to store them with a relative until his licence is renewed, Medicine Hat Court of Justice heard Tuesday.

The woman called the RCMP in the early morning hours of Feb. 6 and officers responded from the detachment in Hanna, where the man was managing a construction project.

There were no guns present, but after a half-hour discussion, the incident ended with police pepper-spraying the man and taking him into custody.

The 43-year-old, who the News is not naming, is not charged criminally in the incident, but was subject to an application for prohibition order, a criminal code statute last updated in January.

Police say they discovered broken glass at the scene and a raw steak on the kitchen floor, which the subject said was responsible for amounts of blood discovered in the residence. The man said he had been drinking and didn’t bother cleaning up the mess. He said the text message were “selfish” attempt at attention in a “toxic” relationship, but he had no intention of hurting himself.

“I was kind of full rock star at that point,” he said.

Following his arrest and release from hospital, the man’s gun safe was seized by Medicine Hat Police Service from his local home.

That included a shotgun, two rifles and a 9-mm handgun, along with ammunition, valued at a total of $15,000.

Since the February incident the man’s firearms licence, including a restricted weapons licence, has expired. He said he is completing a re-application process with Alberta’s chief firearms officer, which includes a required mental health analysis.

“I have to agree with the Crown on this; it’s not in the public’s best interest (to allow access to the guns),” said Justice Frederick Brooks, agreeing to a weapons prohibition for a two-year term.

The guns must be transferred to a fully licensed individual within 60 days.

That will likely be the man’s brother in Calgary, his attorney said.

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