Pincher Creek standoff suspect granted bail after allegations questioned

The man involved in the RCMP standoff in Pincher Creek, Alta., last week has been released on bail afterhis lawyerquestionedthe validity of theallegationsagainst him.

RCMP officers were dispatched from across southern Alberta, andthe RCMP emergency response team was sent in from Calgary.An RCMP helicopterand armoured vehiclealso assisted.

Schools were closed and access was cut off to parts of the town.

• Man arrested after shots fired at 2 RCMP officers in Pincher Creek
• Firearms charge laid after Pincher Creek emergency that shut town to the public

Originally it was reported that RCMP officers had responded after a caller heard shots fired. When two officers arrived, RCMP told media that shots were also fired at officers.

The next day Dewey (Todd) Starzyk was charged with careless use of a firearm and a breach of his previously mandated conditions originating from past criminal charges.

'May have been the sound of the front door'

This week, Starzykwaived his right to a publication ban on his bail hearing.

"The facts that came out at the bail hearing wasthat the initial 911 call was made up. It didn't happen. The 911 call was to the effect that shots were fired. All witnesses state that no gun was ever fired," Sean Fagan, defence counsel for Starzyk, told CBC News.

"With respect to the shots that were fired or reportedly fired from the residence towards police officers, evidence has been disclosed that it may have been the sound of the front door.Gave them a reasonable scare, they left and emergency response team arrived."

RCMP stand by actions taken

RCMP could not assign a price tag to what it costs to have the emergency response team dispatched from Calgary, but a spokesperson stood by the actions taken. Aside from the emergency response team, 12 other officers were on site for the standoff.

"Our officers are tasked with making decisions in a very short amount of time with the limited information they have. I don't think that our officers made any errors in this case,"saidCpl.Curtis Peters.

Peters explained that because the nature of the call was related to a discharged firearm, coupled with the refusal of the suspect to leave the home,the emergency response team would have been sent in regardless of whether or not officers were fired at.

The standoff lasted about seven hours.

Starzyk known to police

Starzyk was known to police before the incident occurred. He has a lengthy criminal record that dates back to 1980 with crimes from across the province, including Calgary, Fort Macleod, Medicine Hat and Red Deer.

In total, Starzyk has either paid fines for or served time in jail for 41 offences.

Regardless of his past, Starzyk plans to fight all current charges against him.

"Mr. Starzyk does have a lengthy record, but it's almost exclusively impaired driving charges very little to no record for violence," Fagan said.

Meanwhile,a long list of new conditions have been placed on Starzyk,including a curfew. Heis due back in court for ahearing on March 7 in Pincher Creek.