The brother of a man facing several charges following a home invasion in Ottawa last week said his family is in shock over the allegations he robbed and bound a 101-year-old veteran.
On Dec. 18, a man identifying himself as a City of Ottawa employee buzzed the apartment of 101-year-old Ernest Côté. Côté, a veteran of the Second World War, was alone in his apartment when the man came to his door, demanded money and forced himself into the apartment. Côté was then tied up with a plastic bag over his head and robbed.
After releasing surveillance video and receiving several tips, Ottawa police arrested Ian Bush, 59, on Friday. Bush appeared in court on Saturday to face charges of attempted murder, robbery with violence, forcible confinement, break and enter, and using a credit card obtained by crime.
WATCH: 101-year-old veteran assaulted in Ottawa home (Dec. 18)
Norm Bush spoke to reporters outside of an Ottawa courtroom on Monday, saying that the accusations against his brother are out of character for a man described as a strong family man, a generous volunteer, and someone who was raised in a military family.
“By all accounts he’s been a family man, a very generous person, somebody who volunteers for activities, if somebody needs something he’s the kind of person that would put himself forward and go and help people out,” said Bush.
Bush said he and his brother were raised by Second World War veterans, their mother was a sergeant in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps, their father fought in Normandy as part of the Canadian Navy.
“We grew up with a military heritage through our parents and I never heard anything but praise from any of our siblings and respect for veterans.”
Norm Bush said his thoughts go out to the Côté family, saying he was grateful the veteran was not seriously harmed.
READ MORE: ‘I was mad as a wasp,’ says 101-year-old war vet home invasion victim
Ian Bush will return to court on Wednesday to see a court-appointed psychiatrist. The married father of three has no criminal record and no criminal history.
“That’s what makes this so unusual for everybody, Ian has no criminal record, no criminal history and nobody that knows him would have expected anything like this to ever have occurred. If the allegations hold up and it’s found to be the case, it would be a big surprise to everybody,” he said.
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