Calgary police called in 2008 to domestic incident involving Sean Chu and firearm
CBC
Embattled Incumbent Ward 4 councillor Sean Chu — a former Calgary police officer — was involved in a 2008 fight with his wife that ended with police responding and seizing a firearm, CBC News has confirmed through court records.
The argument took place in February 2008, when Sean Chu was running in a provincial election for the Progressive Conservatives in Calgary-Buffalo. He ultimately lost on March 3 to Liberal Kent Hehr.
Although there was no criminal charge laid, police seized the gun and, in consultation with prosecutors, set a date for a firearms disposal hearing before a judge, according to court records.
"Under the Criminal Code, if a weapon was seized because there were grounds to believe it was not safe for a person to possess it, the Crown can apply within 30 days to prevent it from being returned to that person if doing so would not be in the interests of the person's own safety or the safety of someone else," explains defence lawyer and law instructor Kelsey Sitar.
Chu is facing mounting pressure from council colleagues to resign over reported misconduct involving physically touching a 16-year-old girl while he was a 34-year-old police officer.
By Wednesday afternoon, all but two of Chu's council colleagues had spoken out about the situation.
Chu has provided two conflicting statements about the incident to CBC News.
First, Chu confirmed there was a 2008 argument with his wife that resulted in him attending counselling but denied a firearm was involved.
"I have not seen any documentation substantiating this claim and it cannot be stated as 'fact,'" he wrote.
On Wednesday, Chu provided a second statement, admitting there was a gun involved in the conflict but said it was never retrieved from its locked cabinet.
Chu said that in 2008 he had a licensed sport shooting rifle stored in a locked and secure cabinet in his home.
"Feeling distraught, I went downstairs to the cabinet intending to retrieve it but ultimately did not do so," said Chu in his statement.
Chu said the argument came at "a particularly low and stressful point" in his life and that he voluntarily sought counselling.
In a written statement provided to CBC News Chu's ex-wife confirmed the incident and said she never wanted to involve police.
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