Western Standard Publisher Derek Fildebrandt told police he had just returned from a business trip when he saw vandals destroying "No Peeing On My Lawn" dog signs on his property.He was on trial at the Court of King's Bench in Calgary Wednesday on charges of uttering threats.All four of kids involved were young teenagers at the time.Court heard they had just finished celebrating a birthday after an afternoon of paintball, video games and cake when they decided to head to the local convenience store for snacks.Appearing by video link with a court appointed supported dog, the youths — who can’t be named under a publication ban — told how they stopped on the sidewalk of Fildebrandt’s house to wait for another friend that they had been communicating with via social media.That’s when they noticed a man eyeing them through the blinds of his front window.This went on for about five minutes before they thought it best to move along. But not before Fildebrandt scampered from his garage and accused them of vandalizing his property.What was said wasn’t exactly clear other than there was a lot of shouting and hollering. All agreed they heard Fildebrandt threaten to shoot them and started waving an object they believed was a firearm.In fact, it was a walking cane Fildebrandt had been using after injuries sustained during a motorcycle crash the previous September.The boys fled the scene, court heard."I was really scared, I thought I was going to die that day," said 13-year-old David.The prosecutor asked David if he could tell what Fildebrandt was holding. "Not 100 per cent but he said he was going to shoot us so I assumed it was a gun," said David. All of the boys testified they did not touch, kick or take anything from Fildebrandt's property. After the boys ran Fildebrandt scrambled into his Ford F-150 and tailed them down the street while calling police.Security video from a neighbour’s door bell clearly shows the boys running, followed by the black 4X4. At some point, they split up. One went to a neighbour’s house and rang the bell where the woman inside called his mother. Two wound up hiding behind a tree.Court heard from a woman who lives in the neighbourhood with her family. She testified on April 3, a child she did not recognize knocked on her door asking for help. She didn't get his name and she was unsure of his age at first, but later found out he was 14-years-old. The boy said: 'Please help there is someone following us. He has a gun. He followed us down the street," testified the neighbour, who brought him inside and sat him down in her hallway while she went out to investigate, closing the door behind her. She said she "saw a gentleman," Fildebrandt, standing in front of a pickup truck, angled sideways. There was "a child (standing) on the sidewalk beside the truck.""There was no gun visible," she said. The neighbour then asked him if he had a gun, to which Fildebrandt responded, "No, I told them I protect by belongings and property with a gun.Calgary Police Service Det. Lindsay Audibert was called to the stand next. She confirmed she viewed video exhibits of part of the incident from a home owner nearby on April 14. On the same day, she had a "phone interaction" with Fildebrandt. She requested an in-person interview "to discuss the incident." Fildebrandt offered his written statement to her and went in for an in-person statement on April 30. Audibert testified she asked for photos of the damaged lawn signs, and he told her they were mostly gone, one was broken, and he didn't think it would hold up in court as property mischief. When it came to cross-examination, Fildebrandt's lawyer, Alain Hepner, asked Audibert, who was the primary investgator, "Did you ever locate a gun?""No," replied Audibert. "Did you locate a cane?" Hepner asked. "Yes," said Audibert. "Was he using it?" Hepner asked. "Yes," she replied. "He told you about his motorcycle incident?" Hepner asked. Fildebrandt in September 2023 was in a serious accident where he sustained a leg injury. "Yes," Audibert replied. "He limped when he came to you?" asked Hepner. "Yes," confirmed Audibert. The Crown prosecutor played three videos, two 911 calls (the first one was disconnected) and bodycam footage from the officer at the scene. "Teenaged vandals attacked my house," Fildebrandt told authorities, giving his information. "I don't want them in trouble, I just don't want it to happen again. Will someone just come down to talk to them?" Fildebrandt can be heard talking to the kids while on speakerphone. They asked if they could call their parents and Fildebrandt said yes. He is then asked to turn off speakerphone and describe the situation. "There were kids hanging around on my property looking suspicious. Minor damage (to lawn signs). They went down the street, I went after them. Want someone to come talk to them," said Fildebrandt on the call. The next video presented at trial was bodycam footage from the officer dispatched to the scene. "Is that a cane," asked the officer upon arriving, to which Fildebrandt confirmed it was."You're under arrest for uttering threats," said the officer. "I'll call a lawyer immediately if that's what's happening," said Fildebrandt. The officer asked is he can stand on his own without the cane so he can search him, which Fildebrandt allowed. He tells the cop about his earlier motorcycle accident. The officer then reads Fildebrandt his rights before asking him for his side of the story. "I just got in from a four-day business trip. I was tired, and saw some kids outside looking suspicious," he said, explaining they could see him through the window and he went around the house turning on more lights. "It looked like they were up to something," he said."They kept milling around, looking suspicious. They ran down the street, they were laughing. It pissed me off, I went after them hobbling. I did not utter any threats.""My leg hurt, hobbling after them. I went back for my keys, and told my wife I was just going to tell them to f*** off.""I called 911, (the kids) sort of split off. I turned into the driveway on the left side."Fildebrandt told the officer the parents of the kids came to his house. "the kid's dad goes off the rails, yelling at me," he said. "The dads came to my house, wanting to fight or something. (One of the) kid's mom says, "You're the angry politician," and one of the dads said, "We know who you are, you're a bad guy," said Fildebrandt in the video. "No physical contact," asked the cop? "No," replied Fildebrandt. "I yelled like an angry old man with my cane on the sidewalk, but that was it."Fildebrandt is a former Wildrose MLA.In the video, Fildebrandt reiterates that he did not utter threats. "Just trying to figure out why they would say that," replied the officer, and then he asked if he could take a picture of Fildebrandt with the cane. "Demonstrate how you were wielding it," said the officer. "I swung it around awkwardly like this," replied Fildebrandt, demonstrating. "My wife is pissed I chased after the kids."Fildebrandt then agrees to pen a written statement that night. Hepner had all three kids admit they had talked over the incident with each other before giving statements to police.Court will reconvene Thursday morning with arguments from the defence..
