Four people in their twenties face numerous charges after a trespassing call at Western University led police to a nearby home where officers discovered chemicals capable of creating explosives, police said Tuesday.
Ongoing investigation at a Chesham home Tuesday afternoon involving four suspects (Credit: Lexi Saldana)
Campus police responded to a call at around 1:40 a.m Saturday at an engineering building and arrested an armed suspect, they said. Later, police tracked a second suspect involved in the trespassing incident at a house on the corner of Chesham Avenue and Chesham Place.
“During the ongoing investigation of that, observations were made in the residence that created concern about chemicals that could be used to create explosive devices,” said Detective Superintendent Sean Travis in a news conference conference outside the Chesham Place home Tuesday.
Police arrested two suspects after further investigation at the home, Travis said.
“The scene was held and examined to ensure that it was safe for the local community and since that time we’ve been continuing the investigation.” he added.
Decontamination trailer placed in front of the Chesham home; police vehicles surrounded the area and blocked off the street (Credit: Lexi Saldana)
Residences across from the home were evacuated and a decontamination trailer was on-site during Tuesday’s news conference.
Neighbours said police had been in the area for days.
“Well, for the first couple of days they told us there was no danger to the public, and today some of my neighbours have been evicted or told that they were in the blast zone and they should leave the neighbourhood for a couple of days,” said Stephen Waite, a resident near the home.
Jerry Tong, 27, of Ottawa has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon, careless use of a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm, resisting arrest, break and enter with intent, and occupying a motor vehicle with a firearm.
Zekun Wang, 26, of London has been charged with break and enter with intent and occupying a vehicle with a firearm.
Fei “Frank” Han, 25 and Feiyang (Astrid) Ji, 21, both of London have been charged with unlawful possession of explosives.
Travis said he was not aware of anything being stolen from Western.
All four remain in custody and the case remains ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding the incident are urged to call London Police Service or Crime Stoppers.
