A Whitehorse man is facing criminal charges after allegedly uttering death threats to a city employee over the phone, with “a large number of restricted and non-restricted firearms and ammunition” later found at his home.
Whitehorse RCMP received a report about the incident at around 11 a.m. on April 1, Yukon RCMP said in a press release April 3.
After investigating, officers went to a man’s home in Porter Creek, the press release continues, where an “unattended vehicle with the engine running was located parked in the driveway” with a “loaded long gun with ammunition” on the front passenger’s seat.
Officers secured the vehicle and firearm while “proceeding to set up containment on the property,” and shortly after, arrested a man who was exiting the rear of the residence.
Police executed a search warrant on the home that evening and seized a “large number of restricted and non-restricted firearms and ammunition as evidence to the offence.”
Robert Charles Bruce, 37, has been charged with uttering death threats and the unsafe storage of firearms. He appeared in court on April 2 and was released on bail.
His next court appearance is scheduled for June.
Court documents show that the employee Bruce allegedly threatened was a load operator. In an email, city spokesperson Myles Dolphin wrote that “that as soon as City staff were alerted about this on Wednesday, they responded very quickly and followed instructions to leave the subdivision immediately.”
Whitehorse RCMP, with the assistance of Whitehorse General Investigation Section, are continuing to investigate.
Contact Jackie Hong at jackie.hong@yukon-news.com