WARMINGTON: Shooting guns recklessly in Muskoka is a bridge too far

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At first glance, it looked like five gunmen standing in line shooting their guns off as part of a firing squad.

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Or perhaps it was a special militia holding a bridge in a foreign war zone.

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Turns out this was happening in peaceful Muskoka. Whatever this was, it’s a bridge too far for Ontario and Canada. Or should that be a bridge too close to where people frequent.

This was a shocking sight. Yes, these videos posted on social media by the very people who were doing the shooting, show men firing riffles from, toward or on a wooden snowmobile and ATV trail bridge near MacTier in Georgian Bay Township. Many people hike in this area or walk their dogs, or camp, or mountain bike. This was as dangerous an idea as anybody could ever think of.

Who these gunmen are remains a mystery. As does why they were doing this.

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Perhaps they have shot themselves in the foot by making this so public. These shocking videos, including one posted showing a rifle resting against a car steering wheel, has not only raised the ire of the locals in this Georgian Bay region up Hwy. 69 way, but it has the attention of the Ontario Provincial Police and Premier Doug Ford, too.

“I am confident the OPP will catch these guys,” Premier Ford said on Thursday.

Stay tuned. There is certainly a lot of evidence for police to work with if they decided to prioritize this as clearly Ford is hoping they will. OPP spokesperson Kimberly Wild said Thursday detectives are definitely working on the case.

“The Bracebridge Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is aware of recent videos circulating on social media that depict individuals discharging firearms in a careless and unsafe manner,” she said in an OPP news release. “Bracebridge OPP would like to remind the public that the careless use of firearms, including firing weapons without proper regard for safety or surroundings, is a serious criminal offence in Ontario.”

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Kind of a friendly reminder. But what these guys are shown to be doing on video is not friendly. The bullets from their guns would be life-threatening to anybody they would strike. The latest unsettling incident arrives in the same news cycle as eight-year JahVai Roy being murdered in his bed in Toronto, or a 21-year-old woman struck and killed by an errant shot in Hamilton. It’s so irresponsible and reprehensible to do something like what is on display in these videos.

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“Actions that place others at risk or result in damage to property can lead to charges under the Criminal Code of Canada,” say the OPP, adding the charges for this action could be “careless use of a firearm (Section 86), mischief or destruction of property (Section 430) and unauthorized possession or discharge of a firearm (Sections 91-95), depending on the circumstances.”

If they were shooting at people or property, those charges could go up into the murder or attempted murder range.

And don’t forget if those are illegal guns, or the shooters don’t have a permit to use them, there are Criminal Code offences there, too.

What they are doing in this video is not funny or tolerable.

“These laws exist to ensure public safety and responsible firearm ownership. Individuals found engaging in this behaviour may face criminal charges, firearm seizure, and potential imprisonment,” the OPP said. “Bracebridge OPP are actively investigating these incidents and encourage anyone with information to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call Bracebridge OPP at 1-800-310-1122 or you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.”

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Needless to say, the community is very upset.

“Reckless use of high-powered rifles for target practice threatens public safety,” said a statement from Concerned Residents of Georgian Bay Township. “Individuals from outside the township are discharging high-powered rifles in an uncontrolled manner, turning rural trails into shooting ranges and putting people, property, and the environment at serious risk.”

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It’s gross.

This video comes just a day removed from information that the murderer who shot into a Catholic church and school that killed two children and wounded 17 more had previous mass shooters’ names written onto the guns including the Polytechnique Montreal mass murderer.

There is nothing appropriate about illegal guns in the hands of people who don’t legally own them. But it takes a special kind of uncaring to simply fire guns like this and not give a darn where the bullets will land. In MacTier, they are also accused of leaving behind massive piles of garbage.

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Residents complain the area is littered with shell casings and there is damage from gun shots to the wooden bridge as well.

This is nuts.

To make matters worse, a police source has analyzed the video and determined that at least two of the guns appear to be prohibited in Canada.

None of those guns should ever have been fired so recklessly like they were in Muskoka.

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