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Man, 54, charged with mischief following ‘fake’ report of person with a gun: Toronto police

Click to play video: 'Toronto Police search for suspect in downtown gun call false alarm'
Toronto Police search for suspect in downtown gun call false alarm
Mon, Oct 30: Toronto Police have released surveillance images of a suspect in the downtown gun call false alarm last week. As Catherine McDonald reports, investigators say he called them from a pay phone in Chinatown last Thursday alleging there was an armed hostage-taking at a marijuana dispensary on King Street – Oct 30, 2017

A week after a Toronto police investigation shut down a busy downtown area over what was later determined to be a bogus 911 call, police say a 54-year-old man has been charged.

At around 1 p.m. last Thursday, police said they received a report that a person with a gun was seen inside a building near King and Charlotte streets in the Entertainment District.

“The reports were that a man with a gun had taken someone from off of the street and forced them into a building,” Const. David Hopkinson said at the time.

READ MORE: Report of person with a gun, possible hostage situation a ‘false alarm’: Toronto police

Police said they were investigating the incident as a potential hostage situation, and heavily armed units surrounded a marijuana dispensary located in the building.

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At around 4:45 p.m., several hours after a section of King Street West was cordoned off for the investigation, Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook told reporters at the scene that officers had conducted a thorough search of the building without locating a suspect.

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“At this point yes, it appears it was a false alarm,” she said.

READ MORE: Images released of man wanted for mischief after false gun call in downtown Toronto

On Monday, police issued a statement seeking assistance in identifying a man who allegedly placed the call from a pay phone in the area of Spadina Avenue and Cecil Street.

Gregory Frank Goodridge, 54, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with one count of public mischief on Wednesday.

He was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

Court documents obtained by Global News show that Goodridge has been charged several times in recent years for uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.

In January 2011, he was given a peace bond ordering him to stay away from the alleged victim, and in April of 2013, Goodridge was charged again with threatening death and failing to comply with probation.

In August 2015, he was acquitted on those charges.

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— With a file from Catherine McDonald, Global News

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