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Man arrested after hucking jerky, shouting Bible verses in front of Edson school

Click to play video: 'RCMP respond to weapons concerns at handful of Alberta schools'
RCMP respond to weapons concerns at handful of Alberta schools
In the wake of the deadly shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., RCMP in Alberta say they’ve had to respond to an increased number of firearms complaints related to schools. Sarah Ryan explains.

Charges have been laid against a man who RCMP said say showed up at a school and started hucking jerky and slinging bible verses.

RCMP said officers from Edson, about 1.5 hours west of Edmonton, were called on Tuesday about a man reportedly acting strangely.

“The call came in as a cap gun and not a real firearm,” said RCMP Corp. Mathew Howell. “That being said, when it comes to police response, police response is always the same. We err on the side of caution and public safety is always a priority.”

They said the man was seen throwing beef jerky and yelling bible verses at students.

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While the situation sounds laughable, RCMP said it still counts as violent behaviour.

“Yes, we’re talk about beef jerky, but technically throwing an item at someone is technically considered assault, so he was technically assaulting kids and then pulled out what turned out to be an imitation firearm.”

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Investigators allege when the principal approached, the man pulled out a cap gun and fired three shots in their direction before leaving in a car.

Police said the man randomly showed up at the school and no student witnessed the cap gun incident.

Officers tracked down the vehicle, which took off heading west down the Yellowhead Highway and was pursued by several police units, including a canine team and air services.

After traveling a long distance on Highway 16, RCMP said the vehicle turned off onto secondary roads north of the highway and ended up stopping on a private farm east of Hinton.

The man got out of the vehicle and was arrested without incident.

A 39-year-old man from Dawson Creek, B.C., was charged with mischief, dangerous driving, fleeing from police and imitation firearm charges.

— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News

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