A 37-year-old Edmonton man has pleaded guilty to weapons charges nearly seven months after he was shot by police while standing at a busy intersection in northeast Edmonton, pointing a rifle at drivers.
On Tuesday, Glenn Justin Ironchild pleaded guilty to five charges: possessing a restricted firearm when he was prohibited from doing so, using a rifle in a careless manner, pointing a firearm at a person, possessing a multi-calibre rifle knowing the serial number on it had been altered or defaced and possessing a firearm knowing he did not have a licence for it.
READ MORE: Charges laid against man shot by police in Edmonton intersection
Watch below: In March 2017, Shallima Maharaj filed this report after a man was shot by Edmonton police after witnesses said he was waving a gun at a busy intersection. WARNING: This video contains disturbing content.
According to an agreed statement of facts, police received dozens of 911 calls on the morning of March 13, 2017 about a man standing at the intersection of 137 Avenue and 50 Street while pointing “a long-barrelled rifle with a scope at people in vehicles.”
Several times, Ironchild would stop and scope a vehicle before turning and doing the same to another vehicle, the document reads. Two Edmonton Transit buses were among the vehicles Ironchild set his sights on. One of the bus drivers ordered his passengers to take cover before he did the same. Witnesses described Ironchild as appearing to be enjoying himself while pointing the gun and said he looked like he was trying to “load the firearm, work the bolt action, eject the round and reload the gun.”
Once police and emergency vehicles arrived, a police officer radioed his colleagues that he thought Ironchild was going to try and “force a lethal encounter” because he was not trying to run away. In a “kneeling position,” Ironchild then pointed his rifle at the officer and the officer, believing Ironchild was going to try and kill him, fired a shot at Ironchild “with little effect.”
READ MORE: Edmonton police union boss believes dramatic shooting of armed man was ‘suicide by cop’ scenario
According to the agreed statement of facts, the officer fired another shot a second later. Video of the incident appeared to show neither shot hit Ironchild and about five seconds later, Ironchild was seen raising his right hand before shifting position and dipping the same hand down to the firearm before raising it again. The officer said he heard Ironchild utter the word “enough” at the time. At that point, the officer fired another shot that struck Ironchild.
Once Ironchild was wounded, the officer called for him to drop the gun and he fired another shot at him, believing Ironchild was going to comply and was capable of still shooting at police and others. The third shot caused Ironchild to fall, drop his gun and roll onto his back. Later that day, police searched Ironchild’s northeast apartment where they found an “adaptive combat rifle,” with the stock removed and shortened, in an unlocked cupboard under a kitchen sink.
According to the agreed statement of facts, Ironchild uploaded a video to his Facebook profile a day before the confrontation in which he poses with what appears to be the same two guns police recovered at the shooting scene. Photos, taken several days before, were also found on his Facebook profile showing him with the guns.
In 2009, Ironchild was ordered to be prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Ironchild is a father with a lengthy criminal history that includes convictions for assault with a weapon, assault with a weapon causing bodily harm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and uttering threats.
Ironchild’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2018.
Comments