Charges laid against Saint-Elzéar-de-Bonaventure man at centre of emergency alert
Charges have been laid against the man who prompted a shelter in place order last week in Saint-Elzéar-de-Bonaventure, Que., a small municipality on the Gaspé peninsula.
He is charged with threatening to kill police officers, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, carrying a weapon without a permit and possession of a weapon while prohibited from having one.
The man was also charged with operating a motor vehicle while prohibited.
On Friday afternoon, authorities issued an alert sent to cell phones telling those in the municipality to shelter indoors, lock their doors and stay away from windows as they searched for a man considered armed and dangerous.
The man was apprehended around 9:30 p.m. Friday night after a manhunt that lasted several hours.
The judge has ordered that he remain in custody for the remainder of the proceedings. He will also undergo a psychological evaluation.
The man, who is known to police, will be back in court on Oct. 6.
The police operation highlighted the importance of improving cellular signal in isolated communities, as people throughout southern Quebec received the emergency alert, while some in the Gaspé region said they did not.
