A third-year Queen’s student has been charged with mischief, weapons dangerous and possession of an explosive substance after police discovered replica pellet guns, knives and materials that could be used to create an explosive device at the student’s Kingston house.

Police were dispatched to the area of Brock and Frontenac St. yesterday at approximately 5:30 p.m. after residents complained of pellet gun shots being fired and damage being done to a garage, allegedly by student Shu Wang, ArtSci ’14.

The Emergency Response Unit was called to the scene and contained the area around his residence, seizing the items from Wang’s house, according to a Kingston Police media release.

After the materials that could be used to make an explosive device were found, the police took further action.

“Obviously we contacted the OPP Explosives Units,” Kingston Police Constable and Media Relations Officer Steven Koopman said.

Wang is currently in custody at a provincial detention centre. Koopman said he will face a video remand, a virtual conferencing with a judge on Friday.

Koopman said the maximum charges the 20-year-old Torontonian could face are between five and 10 years in prison.

“Obviously the maximums are rarely reached,” he said.

Koopman said Wang is the only person being investigated in connection with the crimes.

“This is not a terrorism organization, this is nothing to that effect,” he said.

Koopman wasn’t able to disclose whether Wang had a prior criminal record, however he did say the accused wasn’t formerly known to Kingston police.

Wang’s former housemates Matthew Sullivan and Michael Sullivan, live near the garage where the pellet gun incident took place. They said Wang isn’t a dangerous person.

“He comes off as kind of a quiet kid, sort of reserved, but then he kind of grows on you,” Matthew, Sci ’13, said.

Matthew and Michael said they knew about Wang’s pellet gun when they lived with him last year, but weren’t aware of any other weapons or explosive materials.

“We could just tell that if he had slipped up somewhere, he probably would have been caught and charged,” he said. “He’d walk around the house with it, but never pointed it at you.”

Matthew and Michael lived with Wang for one year, but said they hadn’t kept closely in touch since he moved around the corner.

Michael described his former housemate as a “happy kid.”

“He was always happy to go out with us. He would never harm anyone and it sucks because he’s facing all this,” Michael, ArtSci ’13, said. “I think he just thought it was a funny [thing] to do … he just didn’t understand what he was doing was wrong.”

Michael was home at the time the arrest was made. He said several police officers entered his home and asked him questions about Wang.

Matthew and Michael said they plan to support Wang by attending his trial if Wang is given one.

“He was a nice guy for sure, he was just reckless. He never knew he was pissing people off really by his actions,” Michael said. “I wouldn’t really wish this on any guy our age. I mean, you’re still young.”