Greater Sudbury Police said today they found more than 30 explosives at a Reginald Street apartment building after executing a second search warrant at the property over the weekend.
Police initially searched the apartment on Feb. 5, arresting a 28-year-old Sudbury man after receiving a weapons complaint from a neighbour in the building.
On Feb. 12, detectives investigating the Feb. 5 incident applied and received a second search warrant after police said new information suggested more explosives had been moved into the apartment after the first search had ended.
Residents of the building were relocated for their own safety, GSPS said.
On Saturday, bomb disposal officers with the GSPS Emergency Response Unit, assisted by an OPP K-9 unit trained in bomb detection, executed the search warrant, finding more than 30 explosives inside the unit, police said today.
“Our explosive disposal technicians rendered the explosives safe on scene and then safely transported them to a secure location where the explosives were safely detonated and disposed of.”
After the second search warrant was executed, a 36-year-old woman was arrested and charged with possession of explosives and possession of explosives for an unlawful purpose.
She was released on an undertaking with a court date of April 28. Her name has not yet been released.
The incident started on Feb. 5 after GSPS was called about a weapons complaint at the Reginald Street apartment building. Police said the 28-year-old man got into a verbal fight with another resident of the building, who said the suspect waved a gun around and pointed it at other residents, threatening to kill them.
After officers arrived and ran a check on the man’s name, it was determined he was wanted on four outstanding warrants for theft under $5,000, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and a bench warrant for failing to attend court.
As residents left the building Friday while police were dealing with the weapons complaint, the suspect tried to slip off by blending in with other residents as they left. Police said the man then lied about his identity when questioned by police.
He was arrested and charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, careless use of a firearm, pointing a firearm, threats to cause death and obstructing police.
When officers searched the suspect’s home on Feb. 6, they found a replica firearm and what were believed to be multiple explosive devices.
“Detectives immediately evacuated the building and members of our Emergency Response Unit specializing in explosive disposal arrived on scene,” said GSPS in a news release.
“Our explosive disposal technicians confirmed that what detectives had found were, in fact, explosive devices and the devices would explode if initiated.”
The devices were removed from the residence, rendered safe and then transported to a safe location where our explosive disposal technicians safely detonated and disposed of the devices.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing and anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact our Criminal Investigation Division at 705-675-9171.
– Sudbury.com