OTTAWA, July 3 — Canadian police yesterday arrested an armed member of the country’s military who entered the grounds of an Ottawa estate that is home to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the country’s governor general.
The suspect “breached the main pedestrian entrance” to Rideau Hall with his vehicle at about 6:30am (1030 GMT), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.
The car was disabled on impact, so he entered the property on foot before being “rapidly contained” by RCMP officers on patrol and arrested a short time later without incident.
“The individual arrested by the RCMP is a member of the Canadian Armed Forces,” police said, without immediately revealing his identity. Charges are pending.
The RCMP and the Canadian defence ministry said the two sides were collaborating on the investigation.
Rideau Hall is the official residence of Governor General Julie Payette. Trudeau and his family live on the property at Rideau Cottage.
“The Prime Minister and his family, as well as the Governor General, were not present on site at the time of the incident,” the RCMP said.
The gate leading to the estate was damaged.
Payette is the official representative of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, Canada’s formal head of state due to its membership in the Commonwealth. — AFP
