Above: Police in Alberta said they prevented what could have been a dangerous situation by apprehending veteran Dennis Charlong after he allegedly posted threats on Facebook. Vassy Kapelos reports.
EDMONTON – A former member of the Canadian Forces has been charged. He was arrested on the base in Wainwright, Alberta after allegedly posting a threat on a social media site.
Dennis Charlong, who is 43, was charged on Friday with the five offences, including: possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition, uttering threats, and possession of property obtained by crime.
“Through strong criminal intelligence and decisive action by members of the Military Police, along with support from CAF personnel, a potentially devastating situation in Wainwright this week was averted,” said Colonel Robert Delaney, Canadian Forces Provost Marshal.
The former member was arrested Wednesday around 4 p.m. with a loaded gun in his possession.
“I would characterize this very seriously given the fact that the member was armed with a pistol, with the intent – as we see it- to harm individuals,” said Major Kevin Cadman, Deputy Commander of the CF National Investigation Service. “So yes, it’s very serious.”
A military spokesperson said an off-duty Military Police officer in Kingston, Ontario noticed a potential threat to personnel at the Wainwright base on social media. An officer at CFB Gagetown also reported the alleged threat.
“The off-duty member that we speak of was obviously concerned that the threat was real,” added Cadman. “We, as well, when we investigated this on the initial stages, looked at it as a real perceived threat, and acted as such, only to confirm that yes, it was a perceived threat which resulted in the apprehension and arrest of an armed member on our base.”
Sources told Global News the former member posted photos of weapons and a threat on a Facebook page related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. However, due to privacy reasons, the Canadian Forces wouldn’t comment on whether PTSD was a factor.
The incident was reported to the Military Police, and within hours, Military Police officers from the Wainwright base arrested the man. A loaded 9mm Beretta firearm was found on his person.
Military Police Warrant Officer Ron Cridland explained the arrest on the Wainwright base.
“As we were online with the RCMP, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces who’s stationed here, came into the detachment here at Wainwright and provided us with information that he’d just seen the member walking up the road and he was concerned because he was looking out of the ordinary. So, given the information – based on what we had, with the threats and the potential threat to the safety on the base – the course of action was immediately put in place. We dispatched members to stop and identify him.”
Cridland said Charlong had walked about one kilometre onto the base and was located next to his former place of work. Cridland said it was Charlong’s former supervisor who alerted them.
“The fellow who knew him used to be a supervisor, and he just didn’t have a common look appearance to him, just looked different to him, so he was concerned.”
The pistol was found concealed in Charlong’s waistband in a subsequent security search, said Cridland.
“We were concerned for everyone’s safety,” he added. “We were able to stop a potentially very dangerous situation from happening.”
“I’ve got 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces,” said Cadman, “and I can’t recollect – off the top of my head – that this has happened before.”
Charlong enrolled with the Canadian Armed Forces in Sept. 2003 and was released in Oct. 2013, according to a senior public affairs officer with the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal and Canadian Forces Military Police Group.
The military would not say why he was released. Charlong was known to Military Police.
The accused, who was a Corporal, was not deployed on any operations during his time with the Canadian Armed Forces.
He worked as an Electronic Optronic Technician, and was based at CFB Wainwright, which now staffs about 900 military personnel.
Zak McLachlan, a reporter for the Wainwright Star Edge, interviewed Charlong in April 2013.
“He’d been through some things in the military and personal life, and through some tough times,” said McLachlan. “It was still affecting him, but he seemed in good spirits at that time.”
Charlong and his fiancée rushed to fast-track their wedding when Charlong’s father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He died in June.
McLachlan said Charlong seemed understandably “emotionally distraught.” McLachlan explained that, a few months later, the former member was also upset about the way the military was handling the financial portion of his release.
“When I found out it was him, I was a little surprised, but then thinking about things that have happened in the past, it takes its toll on people, that’s for sure.”
The incident is under investigation by Military Police. Charlong was transferred from Wainwright to the Edmonton Remand Centre Friday morning.
His next court date is Feb. 20.
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