A Toronto man who allegedly threatened to shoot candidates in the city’s mayoral by-election appeared in court Friday, a day after news of a police search for him disrupted the campaign and prompted the cancellation of an election debate.
Junior Francois Lavagesse, 29, was arrested Thursday night and charged with two counts of possession of dangerous weapons, carrying a concealed weapon, uttering threats and failure to comply with recognizance. The Toronto Police Service said he was taken into custody without incident in the city’s east end. Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer said in an e-mail that officers later recovered a pellet gun.
His Friday court appearance was brief and conducted via video. The case was adjourned until Monday.
Toronto police issued a news release Thursday afternoon that said a man had entered a building in East York that morning and made “threatening remarks about shooting Toronto mayoral candidates.” The release said the man was believed to have been carrying a gun. Police said it was a “blanket threat,” and that specific candidates weren’t named.
Ms. Sayer said the failure-to-comply charge is related to a previous sexual-assault case against Mr. Lavagesse from April.
Police are also investigating a separate online threat against candidates. Ms. Sayer said they believe it was made by the same person who made the in-person threat in East York.
Mr. Lavagesse was profiled in The Globe and Mail in 2014 for his work as a hip-hop artist under the name Jae Lejit, and for starting a hip-hop workshop for young people. He described growing up in New York surrounded by “violence, trauma, drugs and discrimination,” and moving to Toronto when he was 15.
The investigation prompted most high-profile candidates to pause their campaign events and withdraw from a debate planned for Thursday evening, which was eventually cancelled.
Threats of violence against politicians have been on the rise across the country in recent years, resulting in an increase in security at public events.
There are 102 candidates in the June 26 by-election to replace John Tory, who resigned earlier this year.
Councillors Josh Matlow and Brad Bradford suspended their public events on Thursday, and Mr. Matlow closed his campaign office. Former councillor Ana Bailão said she wouldn’t be “intimidated” into pausing her campaign.
Public events on the campaign trail resumed Friday morning, but some candidates said they will be enhancing their security measures.
Mitzie Hunter, a former Liberal MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood, said she was relieved that there had been an arrest in the case. She said her team would be vigilant about potential security concerns.
“This election is so important in terms of the future of our city, and we have to as candidates be able to engage with voters and present our case to the voters in an unimpeded way,” she said.
Former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders’ campaign said it would no longer publicize the exact locations of his public appearances.
Former MP and city councillor Olivia Chow, another of the top candidates in the race, told reporters Friday that threats are nothing new. She said she received threatening letters daily during her time in Parliament.
“But I’m here and we should not allow fear to dominate,” she said.