Martin Billers was quietly enjoying an afternoon cup of coffee in the kitchen of his rural home here on May 18 when his long weekend quickly turned into chaos.
At about 3:10pm Billers and his wife Glenda heard a loud crash in their home, located north of Grand Valley and east of Wellington North.
At first Billers thought perhaps the TV had fallen, but he and his wife quickly discovered the noise was actually a bullet flying into their home.
“It was scary,” he told the Advertiser two days after the incident. “You think you’re safe in your own house.”
The bullet, which the couple suspects came from a vacant farm hundreds of metres away, entered the house through a bedroom, travelled into the bathroom and through the shower, before eventually landing in a floor vent cover in a third room, next to where the couple’s three-year-old granddaughter often plays when she visits.
“If she had been standing there it could have went right through her,” said Billers, who described the bullet as a military-style “full metal jacket” about the size of an AAA battery.
Billers said upon the discovery the couple quickly dialed 911, and despite the operator’s advice to remain in the house, they ventured outside, fearing another bullet might rip through their home.
But the outdoors provided no reprieve from the ordeal.
“You could hear more bullets passing overhead,” Billers said.
So he and his wife got in their vehicle and drove out to the road, where they took cover along with a Dufferin County OPP officer, who arrived quickly on the scene.
Billers said police, with the help of the local game warden, quickly identified the source of the bullets and the incident was soon over. He and Glenda were originally told the alleged culprits were hunting by a nearby abandoned farmhouse – but it was later suggested to the couple the suspects were target shooting.
Billers was told seven people were charged with destruction of property and weapons offences – “they were pretty high-powered weapons,” he said – but OPP media relations officer Paul Nancekivell could not initially confirm those details.
“It’s still under investigation,” said Nancekivell, who did confirm 36 firearms were seized in connection with the incident.
On May 22, Nancekivell sent out a press release stating a "thorough investigation by OPP and (the) Ministry of Natural Resources" resulted in six people being charged with careless use of a firearm:
– Nicholas Kelly, 50, of Puslinch;
– Chris Witter, 45, of Puslinch;
– Daniel McNaughton, 27, of Guelph;
– Danielle Ray of Guelph;
– Brett Miller, 23, of West Grey; and
– Gerald Rieger, 48, of Kitchener.
"The firearms were seized by police until conclusion of court proceedings," the press release stated.
"Police remind firearms owners that when discharging firearms that they always have to be sure of target and what is behind it and ensure that bullets land in a safe area with solid backstop."
As for Billers and his wife, they are thankful no one was injured, and that horses and goats on their property were also not harmed in the incident.
However, Billers estimates they are now on the hook for thousands of dollars worth of repairs.
“It was quite the day,” he said, suggesting area hunting and firearm bylaws should be revisited to prevent similar incidents in the future.
