Upper Keswick shooting suspect charged
Austin Fox, 20, was remanded after telephone court appearance Thursday; charges include aggravated assault, discharging Magnum revolver with intent to wound or maim victim
Charges against the young man accused in a non-fatal shooting near Fredericton on Wednesday indicate the weapon used was a Magnum revolver.
Austin Fox, 20, appeared in Fredericton provincial court by telephone from the Oromocto RCMP detachment cellblock Thursday afternoon.
He was arrested in connection with a Keswick RCMP investigation into a shooting incident in Upper Keswick, about 30 kilometres northwest of Fredericton, shortly after midnight Wednesday morning.
Fox was charged Thursday with discharge of a Magnum revolver with intent to wound, maim or endanger the life of Lucas Bubar; aggravated assault on Bubar; possessing of the Magnum for a purpose dangerous to the public peace; possessing a restricted weapon; and possession of the revolver knowing he wasn’t the holder of a licence for it.
Crown prosecutor Jennifer Bueno objected to Fox’s release, and Judge Pierre Gionet remanded him pending a bail hearing.
However, Hampton-based defence lawyer David Lutz - who also appeared in court Thursday by telephone, having joined his client at the RCMP station - just asked for the case to be set over to Tuesday for election and pleas.
“We’re not going to ask for bail at this time,” he said.
The defence lawyer said the entire situation could be resolved by the next court appearance, depending on how discussions with the prosecution go in the intervening days.
Bueno also asked the court to impose a non-communication order, barring Fox from contacting Bubar while he’s in custody.
Gionet granted that order.
The RCMP’s Keswick detachment issued a news release Wednesday afternoon, advising a shooting occurred at about 12:40 a.m. that same morning.
It said officers were dispatched to a report of a shooting and found a victim - now identified as Bubar - who sustained a gunshot wound.
The gunshot victim was taken to hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, the release said.
The original release also sought tips on Fox’s whereabouts, but he was arrested Wednesday evening.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.