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Some of the firearms seized after the search of a vehicle and home (Photo supplied by Grande Prairie RCMP)
By Shaun Penner
Over 10,000 rounds of ammo seized

Grande Prairie man charged with several firearms offences after investigating disturbance outside school

Jun 10, 2021 | 4:56 PM

A 41-year-old Grande Prairie man has been charged with several firearms offences after police responded to a disturbance in the area of a school in the city Tuesday.

Authorities say that at around 2:40 p.m. June 8, they responded to the complaint of a man causing a disturbance at the school in the area of 108 Avenue and 104 Street. Officers spotted the suspect outside the school near a vehicle upon arrival, where he was arrested.

RCMP could not elaborate more to EverythingGP on what the reported disturbance involved.

As police investigated, they searched the suspect’s vehicle. That search turned up a loaded handgun, a machete, an axe, and two handgun magazines with ammunition in them.

Those findings led police to conduct a search warrant at his home later that evening in the County of Grande Prairie. That search turned up 28 firearms (both handguns and long guns) approximately 10,000 rounds of ammunition and multiple firearms magazines.

Robert Howarth (41) of Grande Prairie is now facing charges of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, five counts of careless use of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition and unlawful discharge of a firearm.

Howarth has been remanded into custody following a judicial hearing and is scheduled to appear in Grande Prairie Provincial Court on June 14.

by Shaun Penner