Nova Scotia man faces weapons charges following search connected to online video

Photo courtesy: RCMP

WHYCOCOMAGH, N.S. -

RCMP say a 35-year-old Nova Scotia man is to appear in court in May after a search last week turned up five restricted firearms, prohibited magazines, body armour and ammunition.

Police are yet to file charges and haven't identified the man, but according to search warrant documents filed with the court he is Jeremy MacKenzie of High Street in Pictou, N.S.

MacKenzie has an online presence on social media as "Raging Dissident," and police say they began an investigation Jan. 10 after a video was posted showing a man waving around a handgun in a "reckless manner" at an address in Whycocomagh, N.S.

According to the search warrant, police believe the video was captured inside a building with "design features and furnishings similar to a commercial restaurant" and they allege the handgun in the video had an overcapacity magazine.

Police say the suspect was arrested without incident at the Pictou, N.S., detachment following a search on Jan. 26, and he was released on conditions, which include that he not possess any firearms, weapons, ammunition or explosive substances. He is to appear in provincial court in Port Hawkesbury May 30.

A news release says the Mounties intend to file charges including careless use of a firearm and unauthorized possession of a prohibited device.

The search warrant granted Jan. 22 contains information filed by Const. David Peck of Whycocomagh RCMP, who said the video was captured by an individual who identified himself as Jeremy MacKenzie.

"MacKenzie's actions in the video and by his own admission to police on Jan. 13, 2022, suggested that MacKenzie was intoxicated at the time the video was captured," the warrant document states.

Peck said MacKenzie was quite vocal and was heard on the video saying such things as "I just go where the gun tells me to go," and "Silent majority ... Diagonola!"

Peck said he was later told by one of two other people also in the video that Diagonola is an imaginary country made up by MacKenzie. He said a flag representing Diagonola is seen in the video.

The document says a subsequent RCMP investigation determined the incident took place at Iron Mountain Wilderness Cabins in Whycocomagh. It states that MacKenzie, a 14-year military veteran, "had post-traumatic stress disorder" from serving with the Canadian military in Afghanistan.

The document said "he denied having any knowledge of the firearm he had been holding."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2022.