Woman draws handgun in local business, disarmed by off-duty officer

An off-duty Thunder Bay Police Service officer disarmed a woman who had a handgun drawn at a northside business Saturday afternoon.

Cst. Sharlene Bourdeau was participating in a community meeting, for a volunteer project unrelated to her policing duties, at a north-side business in the zero-to-100 block of Cumberland Street South just before 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 15.

During this meeting a woman, unknown to Cst. Bourdeau, attended the business and began conversing with the officer.

During the conversation the woman drew a firearm – a Glock 9mm handgun – from the front waistband of her pants to show it to the people at the business.

Cst. Bourdeau calmly spoke to the woman to prevent further escalation, and was able to disarm her. The officer cleared the weapon and confirmed it was unloaded, at which point the woman retrieved loose ammunition from her pockets with the apparent intention of loading the firearm.

The woman became irate and wanted the firearm back, at which point a physical struggle ensued between the woman and the off-duty officer.

Cst. Bourdeau, while continuing to thwart the woman from retrieving the handgun, called 911 for police assistance.

Thunder Bay Police Service officers with the Primary Response Branch were dispatched to the scene at 3:45 p.m.

When officers arrived, they completed the arrest of the female suspect and seized the firearm.

Shannon ROUNDHEAD, 32, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:

• Careless Use of a Firearm
• Unauthorize Possession of a Weapon
• Possession of Prohibited or Restricted Firearm
• Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of a Weapon
• Careless Storage of a Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device of Ammunition
• Unauthorized Possession Without a Licence
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000

She appeared in bail court on April 16 and was remanded into custody with a future appearance date.

The Thunder Bay Police Service would like to remind the public that the ownership and use of illegal handguns is an ongoing and growing threat to community safety.

If you see a physical confrontation involving a firearm, or see someone in possession of an illegal firearm, find a safe place and call 911 immediately. If you have knowledge about the illegal possession of a firearm, please call the non-emergency police line at (807) 684-1200 to make a report.