Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said the incident happened on Saturday, but Toronto police subsequently said the incident happened on Friday.
Toronto police have charged a 26-year-old Arizona man after officers allege he attempted to bring a loaded handgun into the CN Tower over the weekend.
Officers told Global News a man was stopped at around 3 p.m. Friday after an alarm went off during a routine security screening. A .45-caliber firearm was spotted through the metal detector by security personnel. Toronto police were subsequently called and the man was arrested.
Police said they don’t believe there was criminal intent to harm someone, but added there is a concern for public safety any time an illegal gun is found.
Patrick Leavey, spokesperson for the CN Tower, told Global News in an email statement that he wouldn’t comment on the arrest because it’s a police matter. However, he said CN Tower security staff are trained for a variety of situations.
“The CN Tower has onsite security 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, with security protocols both visible and non-visible,” Leavey said. “We take a proactive approach to the training of our teams and work with law enforcement services on a regular basis.”
Erik Hall has been charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm with ammunition, carrying a concealed weapon and careless storage of a weapon.
Police said Hall is a registered gun owner in the United States and has a carry-and-conceal weapons permit in Arizona. He arrived in Canada on a flight to Toronto Pearson International Airport. It’s believed the suspect departed Phoenix, connecting through Denver, before arriving in Toronto. It’s unclear how the gun was transported into the country.
He appeared in a Toronto court Monday.