Demonizing gun owners in Canada

Ontario police shut down a portion of a major highway because of a minor police call involving someone who owned registered guns. The big offense turns out to be in the end that trigger locks weren't properly attached to his registered guns, even though there were not kids in the home and the guns were stored in a "closet" (actually I am told in a gun case). Is this really serious?

What started as a simple squabble between two grown men turned into a major calamity Sunday when the OPP and the tactical team shut down a section of Hwy. 11 for the entire night.

Police responded to a 911 call after a man reported he had been assaulted by his roommate, Ron Woods, who is also the owner of the home on Hwy. 11 just north of Barrie.

The red flags went up when police learned Woods owned firearms.

Police shut down the highway between Line 5 and Line 9 and the tactics and rescue unit surrounded the area around midnight.

Soon the region’s emergency response ream and the canine unit joined in and the place was swarming with officers with machine guns.

The highway was reopened at 6 a.m. Monday after Woods, 51, who claims he had no idea of what was going on, surrendered to police and was taken into custody.

“They threw a flash grenade through my window,” said a battered and bruised Woods, as he limped out of court after being released on $4,000 bail. “They handcuffed me and dragged me out on my face.”

Outside of court he hugged family members who shook their heads and wept.

“We’re confused,” said one family member.

Turns out the weapons were properly registered, in gun cases, stored in a closet but police say the trigger-locks were not applied.

Woods was charged with five counts of improperly stored firearms and one count of assaulting his roommate. . . .