A Cochrane man who was reported walking around the community with weapons has been charged with two counts of carrying a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public peace.
Benjamin Laslo, 26, appeared in Cochrane Provincial Court on Tuesday (Aug. 19). He is being detained at the Calgary Remand Centre and is scheduled to make his next Cochrane court appearance on Aug. 26.
Cochrane RCMP, along with the help of Calgary Police Services, arrested Laslo after it was reported a man was walking around the community of West Valley with what appeared to be a longbow (identified as a crossbow) and a firearm (yet to be confirmed).
The incident began when witnesses spotted the man near Mitford Park in Cochrane at about 5 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 17).
Police responded to the report and ordered the man to drop his weapons. The man did not obey police orders and fled the scene, heading toward the Bow River.
“The attitude and disrespect that was demonstrated by the suspect resulted in an elevated level of response,” said RCMP Cpl. Mel Calahasen.
The RCMP Emergency Response Team South was deployed to assist the Cochrane detachment with the situation at about 6:15 p.m., as was Calgary Police Services’ HAWCS helicopter, as they attempted to locate the suspect in the area of West Valley.
At approximately 8 p.m., police located the suspect in a home on Quigley Drive just east of Mitford School.
Police blocked off a section of the road and advised residents in the area to stay inside and lock their doors.
For nearly two hours, police urged the suspect to come out of the home with his hands in the air, and at approximately 9:45 p.m., the man surrendered, with no weapons in hand, and was taken into custody by RCMP without incident.
“This is the best possible outcome for everyone involved,” said Staff Sgt. Roger Waidson, detachment commander for Cochrane RCMP.
“I am sure the situation was very frightening for the citizens of Cochrane. I want to thank them for their assistance and co-operation throughout the incident.”
RCMP were unable to obtain a search warrant on Aug. 18 for the home the suspect barricaded himself in, but were granted access by the homeowner. As of Aug. 19, Calahasen said it was too preliminary to reveal the findings from the investigation.
Cochrane RCMP dispelled rumours the suspect’s father was also arrested and charged in relation to the events that took place.
The suspect’s father has not been charged with anything related to the event and according to Calahasen, he has been co-operative with the investigation.
“We understand as well that this was a case of retaliation,” said Calahasen, referring to claims made by the suspect that he was randomly and viciously attacked by someone at the Texas Gate Bar and Grill a couple of nights previously.
The suspect’s personal Facebook account shows a couple of disturbing videos, including one of the suspect smashing guitars and laughing about it with his father, as well as multiple references to seeking vengeance on an individual who he claims beat him badly.
Texas Gate owner Mark Horton contacted the Cochrane Eagle, expressing his concern that rumours have run amok that the suspect had allegedly gotten into an altercation at his establishment, spurring what local RCMP have dubbed as the case of retaliation.
Horton explained that while the suspect did enter the Texas Gate between 1:10 and 1:20 a.m. on Aug. 15, he appeared to be severely intoxicated and was refused service by staff.
He added the suspect was offered a glass of water and after a few minutes he tried to grab another patron’s drink and was at that point asked to leave the premises.
“Management asked him to leave and he did so without incident … there was no altercation (inside or outside of the bar) that any of my staff was aware of,” said the bar owner.
Horton said during after hours, as staff were cleaning and closing the bar, a member from Cochrane RCMP arrived to question staff about an event that appeared to have taken place several blocks away in front of an automotive shop.
It is believed the suspect may have gotten into some kind of an altercation at that time and RCMP were trying to establish a timeline leading up to the event.
