Stephen Tynes's Truro neighbours uneasy with his bail conditions

Some residents of the Truro, N.S., neighbourhood where a man accused of plotting a massacre has been court-ordered to live say those bail conditions make them uneasy. 

According to court documents, Stephen Tynes was arrested after meeting with a psychiatrist and telling the doctor he would use a gun to kill up to 20 people and himself.

Among those he intended to kill, the documents allege, were the associate dean of undergraduate medical education and her daughter, who was also his classmate at Dalhousie University's medical school. 

Tynes appeared in court last Tuesday for a bail hearing and was released on conditions that he live at his father's home in Truro and have no contact with the two women he is alleged to have threatened.

The 30-year-old man was also suspended from Dalhousie shortly after his arrest.

'It's pretty scary'

June Cox lives next door to the house where Tynes now lives."It's pretty scary," she said.

Of most concern to her is the cache of guns and ammunition the court document said police seized from Tynes's Halifax apartment.

Included were 1,834 rounds of rifle ammunition, a Russian SKS rifle, a Henry Golden Boy .22-calibre rifle, a banana clip for a rifle, a baggie with three clips and a bore cleaner, two ammunition boxes, a firearms acquisition card and a gun club card.

"There must be a reason for it and today you just don't know.This happens down in the States and stuff, not usually in Truro," Cox said.

Cox said she went to school with one of Tynes's parents. "It was a great family and everything, I just think there's something wrong someplace," she said.

Another neighbour, Sharon Richardson thinks the incident is a sign of the times.

"It's a little disconcerting, for certain," she said.

She is also concerned about the release conditions that put Tynes in his father's care.

"He's definitely someone that needs to be cared for in a way that he may not be cared for at the moment," she said.

Despite that, Richardson said she has no concerns for her safety.

"This is a young man who is potentially crying out for some kind of help and needs something, someone to help him."

Tynes was also ordered by the court not to possess any firearms, alcohol or drugs, and to stay away from Dalhousie's campus except when he is with his parents or his lawyer.

Shortly after the arrest, the university increased its presence at the Sir Charles Tupper medical building.

Dalhousie updated students on the situation on Wednesday, telling them the security measures would stay in place until Dalhousie Security determined they are no longer necessary.

Student Steven Hall is pleased with the security measures in place.

"At the time before I knew all of the details, I thought it was an overreaction, " he said.

"Now that I have a better idea, I'm really OK. They really locked down the Tupper, they had a security guard there the whole time."  

The PhD student said he is thankful the security measures were taken.

"I don't want to think about it too much," he said, "Because nothing did happen, but it could have been absolutely horrendous."