THUNDER BAY — An area motel operator hopes there's a way to learn the identity of a man who uttered threats over the phone, so a peace bond might be obtained to dissuade him from doing it again.
Dave Paterson, co-owner of the Telstar Motel in Kakabeka Falls, said the phone rang in the office on June 2, two days after he raised a Pride flag in a show of support for Pride Month.
"We do it every year. This is not a new thing for us, by any means," he told TBnewswatch.
"I was working the phone, taking reservations, nothing out of the ordinary, when I got a call around 6:30 at night ... telling me that by putting up the Pride flag I was being bigoted. My attitude was basically 'I told him I didn't have time for this, I don't care, good luck with the rest of your life,' and I hung up, just moved on, and didn't think twice."
But within minutes, the same individual called back "still on his crazy monologue, picking up right where he'd left off and ultimately demanding that I take my Pride flag down," Paterson recalled.
When he asked the man to identify himself or come to the motel to address his concerns in person, he said the caller replied "Oh, I'm coming down there alright, and I'm coming there with a gun."
Paterson said he made the threat at least once more before hanging up.
When he contacted the Thunder Bay Police Service, whose jurisdiction includes Kakabeka Falls and the rest of Oliver Paipoonge, members of the police service's primary response unit were dispatched.
"They sent an officer right out, I had an in-person interaction. I have to give credit where credit is due. He was fantastic, and really seemed to be taking it seriously in the moment when there was a possible threat and a possible safety concern for myself and my guests."
The officers remained in the vicinity for several hours and watched the motel from across the road before leaving sometime close to midnight.
Although Paterson appreciated the initial police response, he said he's frustrated that, 12 days later, he's struggled to get any updates on the status of the investigation.
A spokesperson for Thunder Bay Police confirmed Wednesday that the incident remains an active case.
He said that in an incident such as this, the followup includes obtaining phone records, something Paterson is now aiming to do himself.
