A man shooting at snow geese from a Richmond mega mansion sparked the arrival of heavily armed police at the residence Wednesday lunchtime.
At least six RCMP SUVs were on the scene of the massive home at 11111 No. 4 Road just south of Steveston Highway after 10 a.m.
Several officers were spotted carrying automatic rifles and a group of around 10 people were standing outside the gates of the property talking to police, before noon.
Richmond RCMP told the Richmond News that it received a report of a male allegedly discharging a firearm from a residence into a field.
According to the complainant, the male appeared to be shooting at birds.
“Front-line officers attended and located the residence and associated male,” said the RCMP.
“While this residence is located within a zone where hunting is permitted, numerous hunting violations were observed.”
While at the scene, police also seized a number of firearms for alleged firearms violations, including careless storage.
“Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of this incident. Charges are pending,” added the RCMP.
“Anyone considering hunting in Richmond are reminded to review all Federal, Provincial and Municipal by-laws, which pertain to hunting within the City of Richmond.”
As a reporter on the scene tried to take pictures, the group started shouting at him to stop.
At that time, police appeared to allow the group back into the property, which had at least eight non-police vehicles and children's bikes inside the gates.
The property made the headlines several times over the last few years, due to its size at a time when a grass roots resident group fought to reduce the scale of such homes on the Agricultural Land Reserve.
