Niagara Falls man on military exercises: “don’t be pointing rifles at civilians”

A Niagara Falls man got a big scare when he saw a man dressed in army fatigues pointing a gun at his car.

It happened on Feeder Rd in Wainfleet yesterday afternoon. Randy Groulx was driving down feeder when he says he saw a man lying in the grass pointing a rifle at him. He noticed the scope first.

The Canadian military is doing exercises in Niagara this week.

Groulx says he wasn’t aware of the exercises. He says he was rattled by the experience, and questions why a soldier would be pointing a gun at a civilian — even if it did have blank ammunition.

“To have a rifle pointed at your car, it’s as much of a threat that you can get. If i was to do that to any police officer I would be shot dead or put in jail.

“I sort of took it as a threat, that’s why I called 911 and I want to notify other people around of what the military is doing. I don’t think it’s right.”

“They should do their missions in the suburbs no problem, but don’t be pointing rifles at civilians.”

Capt Carrie Pluck says says pointing weapons in the direction of civilians is not part of their exercise. It’s supposed to be conducted only in designated fields.

Capt Pluck will be looking into the incident.