The man accused of trying to kill a WWII vet in a violent home invasion will undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment.
59-year-old Ian Bush appeared briefly in an Ottawa courtroom Wednesday, where he was ordered to undergo the evaluation at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre to determine if he can be found criminally responsible.
Bush appeared calm in court, giving a small wave to his wife, sons, and brother before exiting the courtroom.
He met with a psychiatrist before his appearance late Wednesday morning. The doctor did not appear in court but expressed he has no concerns about Bush's fitness to stand trial.
Ottawa Police released new video late last week , of a suspect they say tied up and robbed 101-year-old Ernest Coté in his upscale condo Thursday morning. Today, we learned more about Bush’s family and his parents, both of whom served in WWII, including his father who fought in Normandy.
His family is shocked by the charges against a man they describe and gentle and loving. Norm Bush is the older brother and, as such, has taken on the heavy load of trying to explain the unexplainable. He spoke to reporters outside the courthouse on Elgin Street on Monday.
‘The whole family is in shock and nothing anyone of us would have had anticipated,’ says Bush, ‘and none of us have had the chance to hear his side of the story.’
His brother, Ian Bush, has been charged with attempted murder, forcible confinement, robbery with violence and using a credit card obtained by crime, following a violent home invasion at a high-end condo in Ottawa's New Edinburgh neighborhood.
The victim was a decorated war hero, 101-year-old Ernest Coté, who had fought for Canada at Juno Beach.
Thursday morning, Coté opened his door to a man who claimed to be with the city of Ottawa. He was tied up, had a bag put over his head and robbed. Coté managed to free himself and call police. A photo at an ATM machine, along with accompanying surveillance footage from Coté’s apartment led police to the arrest of Ian Bush, a father of 3 with no criminal record.
‘This would be Jekyl and Hyde gone crazy one afternoon,’ said Bush’s lawyer, Geraldine Castle-Trudel outside court on Monday. Castle-Trudel says the case is extremely unusual and the actions out of character for Bush, a man who did finance for a company that promotes clean energy and who coached minor baseball and soccer.
‘There are a number of reasonable explanations including that it could be a mistake,’ she added.
Norm Bush says their family has a proud military heritage. His mother was a sergeant in Quebec during World War 2 and his father fought with the Canadian Navy on the beaches of Normandy. The allegations are a complete shock.
‘For all of us in the family, irrespective of who is found to be the perpetrator in the court,’ Bush said, ‘our hearts and thoughts go to Coté family. This is difficult situation for them.’
Reached by phone, Ernest Coté said he had not heard that Bush's family had military ties.
"I hadn't heard anything about him except the neighbors thought that he was a very quiet and nice person,’ he said. "Let the evidence show what happened. I don't want to make any comment."
Ian Bush will remain in custody during his 30-day assessment, and is due back in court Jan. 23.
