According to police, on Wednesday November 12, 2014 at approximately 6:30 p.m. members of the Niagara Regional Police were called to the Courtside Inn located at 5640 Stanley Ave. in the city of Niagara Falls to investigate a report of a disturbance involving a guest of the Inn. Police were advise that a fire had been set in the office area.Members of the Niagara Falls Fire department were also in attendance, a fire was located in the office area and it was quickly extinguished before spreading to other areas and minimizing damage.
Investigation revealed that a guest had attended the office area with a makeshift bomb and ignited it before fleeing back to his room, the device did ignite but there was no explosion.The male was arrested in his room, at the time of his arrest police detected a strong odour of what they believed to be gasoline eminating from the room. Members of the Niagara Regional Police Sevice Explosive Disposal Unit attended the room and determined there was no threat to other guests or the neighbourhood surrounding the Inn.
43 year old Jason Saunders is charged with various criminal offences including; Mischief endangering life, Arson, Possession of Incendiary Material, Using explosives with intent to do bodily harm and threatening. The investigation is continuing by members of the Niagara Regional Police Service Casino Criminal Investigation Unit. Saunders is being treated by Niagara Health Systems and will be held in custody pending a bail hearring.
