– Guns found in travel trailer near Coutts blockade
– Murder-conspiracy trial hears of guns in travel trailer near Coutts blockade.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : LETHBRIDGE, Alberta — During a murder-conspiracy trial, an RCMP officer revealed that a significant number of weapons were found inside a travel trailer parked near the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alberta. Sgt. Gary MacLaren testified on Thursday that he entered the trailer on February 14, 2022, following its clearance by a police emergency response team.
Inside the trailer, Sgt. MacLaren discovered an assault-style rifle positioned on the master bed, a shotgun on a bench in the kitchen area, portable radios, and bear spray. As he proceeded further into the trailer, he encountered another assault rifle on an upper bunk, as well as a tactical vest and a box of ammunition on the floor. Additionally, a rifle was concealed beneath the mattress in the bedroom, alongside ammunition.
Further investigation led officers to uncover a machete, two sets of body armour, a driver’s licence, and a firearms acquisition certificate belonging to one of the accused individuals, Chris Carbert. Both Carbert and Anthony Olienick faced charges of conspiracy to commit murder following the police raid on the trailer and two other trailers situated on private property in Coutts.
Const. Bruce Gammie, a member of the team that cleared the trailer, testified that upon arrival, officers utilized a “loud hailing” vehicle to instruct anyone inside to exit the trailer. After observing movement within, one man eventually emerged and was identified as Carbert. Following his compliance with police commands, Carbert was placed in handcuffs, with no other individuals found inside the trailer.
Undercover officers previously reported that Olienick viewed the blockade as a form of warfare and expressed strong antipathy towards law enforcement, including a desire to harm officers. He claimed to possess a stockpile of weapons, including numerous firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
A video and multiple photos taken inside the trailer were presented to the jury, revealing the presence of a handgun, ammunition, and firearms. Carbert’s lawyer, Katherin Beyak, raised concerns over the classification of the rifles as “assault-style” weapons. However, Justice David Labrenz advised the jury to focus on the evidence presented rather than terminologies used.
The blockade, which was staged in protest against COVID-19 regulations and vaccine mandates, caused significant disruptions at the Canada-U.S. border crossing in Coutts for a period of two weeks. This report by The Canadian Press was initially published on June 20, 2024.
By Bill Graveland in Calgary
Source: The Canadian Press
Photo: Weapons and ammunition seized by the RCMP are shown in this handout photo. An RCMP officer has told a murder-conspiracy trial that several weapons were discovered inside a travel trailer near the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO – RCMP.
Murder conspiracy trial hears guns found in travel trailer near Coutts blockade.
