Man who opened fire on RCMP detachment 'intended to kill,' Crown alleges

Crown prosecutors say a man charged with opening fire with his rifle on an RCMP detachment in Vanderhoof, B.C., in 2021 "intended to kill" police officers.

The allegation was part of the prosecution's opening statement, laying out the Crown's case against Paul Nicholas Russellin B.C. Supreme Court inPrince George on Monday before JusticeFrancesca Marzari.

Russell ischarged with attempted murder with a firearm of an RCMP member or membersand eightother charges, including mischief endangering life and flight from police.

On the first day of Russell's trial, a court sheriff escorted the bearded, broad-shouldered man into a large Prince George courtroom in handcuffs.

Dressed in a red T-shirt and sweatpants, Russell looked over to acknowledge two grey-haired men sitting in the virtually empty gallery.

As the court clerk read out the nine charges against him, Russell stood in the prisoner's box, answering "not guilty" to each one.

Prosecutor Gregory Furmaniuktold the court that on Nov.25, 2021, RCMP officers and civilian police employees inside the Vanderhoof detachment had beenhaving an "unremarkable day" as their lunch hour began.

That all changed after Russell left his workplace on his lunch breakanddrove his white pickup to the RCMP detachment, wearing a fedora and sunglasses, he said.

Furmaniuksaid Russell drove his pickup truck around the detachment, stopping to fire on the building from different sides, including the public entrance.

Bullets were fired intothe detachmentthrough two different windows close to where staff were working and into an exterior wall.

The Crown alleged Russellalso fired at several parked police cruisers.

As the shots were fired, the Crown said officers inside moved civilian employees into the detachment cell block for their safety while RCMP officers grabbed carbines.

Two officers left the detachment to look for the alleged assailant. Officers summoned from the Prince George RCMPdetachment later joined the chase.

At one point, Russell's truck "plowed" into an officer's cruiser stationed across the roadway, according to the Crown.

Russell was eventually arrested outside a Kal Tire store.

The Crown said RCMP found a rifle and boxes of ammunitionin his truck.

Russell was transported to Prince George and, later, to the University Hospital of Northern B.C., the Crown said.

Prosecutors provided no information about why Russell was taken to hospital.

He has been in custody since his arrest.

The Crown said it would call a number of witnesses this week, including community residents, ICBC, RCMP officers, a psychiatrist, and Russell's brother, who had been with him at work before the lunch hour.

Videos taken by bystanders, as well as security and dashcam footage,will also be entered into evidence.

Furmaniuk said a key issue would be Russell's intentions and mental state at the time.During its opening, the Crown didn't provide any information about a possible motive.

The first Crown witness at the trial was a woman who lived close to the RCMP detachment.Two portions of a video she took on Nov.25, 2021, were played for the court.

Her voice can be heard saying,"Who is shooting at RCMP?" Ten gunshots could beheard during portions of the video. The woman testified she saw a man in a white pickup truck in the detachment driveway with a "long gun."