A Sarnia man who appeared to be an assault rifle pointed at another man was sentenced to 110 days time served in jail.
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Sarnia police were called around 2 am May 17 to an apartment at 817 Devine St., where a man on a balcony pointed what appeared to be an assault rifle at another man.
The man went back into his apartment and returned “with what was described as a ‘Dirty Harry’-looking silver handgun, again threatening the (man),” police said. “(He) fled the area and reported this to Sarnia police.”
Police arrested the man and seized other weapons after a search of the apartment.
The weapons included “BB- and airsoft-style guns, including ones matching the description of those involved in this incident,” police said.
Robert Mitchell, 49, was charged with possessing an unauthorized firearm, pointing a firearm, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, assault with a weapon, and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.
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Mitchell was arrested again in October and pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and breaching his lease conditions.
“His behavior was certainly disturbing and it was reasonable for people who were in the public to react the way they did,” lawyer Terry Brandon said, noting the airsoft weapon he had at the time met the definition of a firearm.
“This kind of behavior’s inappropriate,” Justice Mark Poland agreed.
Mitchell was sentenced to time served of 110 days, a penalty both the prosecutor and Brandon asked for so he could go into a drug rehabilitation program. She said her client has schizophrenia and a drug addiction.
Mitchell told the judge about a 12-month program he wants to get into.
“I really want to do this,” he said.
“I hope the plan works out for you,” Poland said, cautioning he may encounter some road blocks.
Mitchell is banned from most types of weapons and is on probation for the next two years.
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