Canadian Armed Forces member arrested after gaining access to Rideau Hall grounds
Man was armed; prime minister, Governor General were not present at the time
Police have arrested a Canadian Armed Forces member who they say was armed and had gained access to the grounds at Rideau Hall early Thursday morning.
The man "breached the main pedestrian entrance" at 1 Sussex Drive at around 6:30 a.m. ET with his vehicle, the RCMP said in a statement.
When the impact disabled his vehicle, the man headed to the Rideau Hall greenhouse, where he was "rapidly contained" by RCMP members on patrol, the force said. He was apprehended shortly before 8:30 a.m. without incident and taken into custody for questioning.
CBC News has confirmed the man in custody is Corey Hurren, an active member of the military who serves as a Canadian Ranger.
The Rangers are a component of the Canadian Army Reserve that serves in the remote and coastal regions, typically offering help with national security and public safety operations.
Someone who answered the phone at the Hurren household in Manitoba on Thursday evening confirmed he'd been arrested but said she didn't want to speak further about the day's events.
Hurren ran a business called GrindHouse Fine Foods, which makes meat products. In promotional material for his business, Hurren is described as a Royal Canadian Artillery veteran who recently rejoined the military as a Canadian Ranger.
He is also a past president of his local Lion's Club, an active volunteer in his community of Bowsman, north-west of Winnipeg, and his group of Rangers were on call to be part of the military's assistance with the COVID-19 response.
WATCH | Canadian Armed Forces member armed with long gun arrested at Rideau Hall:
But in his posts on Facebook, he also revealed that the pandemic had taken a toll on his business.
"I'm not sure what will be left of our economy, industries and businesses when this all ends," he wrote May 26.
Both the RCMP and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan's office previously confirmed the man arrested is in the military.
A source told CBC News the man had driven from Manitoba and had a long gun and a note with him. The source — who spoke on the condition they not be named because they were not authorized to discuss the case — did not know the details of the note nor what kind of long gun it was.
Rideau Hall is the Governor General's official residence, and the greenhouse is attached to the residence at the back. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family also live on the property at Rideau Cottage, not far from the greenhouse.
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed that the prime minister and his family were not at Rideau Cottage Wednesday night or Thursday morning. RCMP said the Governor General wasn't present either.
In a statement to CBC, Gov. Gen. Julie Payette's office said she had been living on the grounds prior to the pandemic and that all staff were safe.
One of the wrought-iron gates leading to the property was left visibly damaged after the incident and debris could be seen on the ground earlier today.
A robot could be seen examining a black pickup truck just inside the gates at Rideau Hall earlier today. The truck's airbags also appeared to have been deployed.
The inside of the truck's cab appeared to have been packed with boxes and other items.
The robot opened the door and removed several items from the truck, including an orange cooler and boxes.
There were also officers inspecting the underside of the truck with mirrors, while others had dogs and were inspecting both the inside of the truck and its contents.
The RCMP said late Thursday afternoon that charges are pending against the man, although they have not yet publicly confirmed his identity.
"Through our members' vigilance, quick action and successful de-escalation techniques, this highly volatile incident was resolved swiftly and peacefully. I am very proud of all our people and our partners who moved fast and acted decisively to contain this threat," RCMP deputy commissioner Mike Duheme said in a statement.
Peter Lewis lives near Rideau Hall and was cycling along the Vanier Parkway just before 7 a.m. ET when he saw "a stream" of RCMP vehicles heading toward downtown.
WATCH | Police use a robot to investigate truck:
He then saw what he described as an armoured police vehicle.
"It's a little concerning," he said. "I hope everybody's all right."
The grounds at Rideau Hall, as well as the house itself, are normally major tourist attractions in the nation's capital, where people enjoy picnics on the grass or wander the gardens.
Both have been closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
As of 6:15 p.m. ET, roads outside Rideau Hall were still closed for the investigation.
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With files from Hillary Johnstone, Judy Trinh, Murray Brewster and Catherine Cullen
