OTTAWA—The late-night evacuation of an Ottawa hotel, a cache of apparently dangerous chemicals discovered in a rural Nova Scotia home, and an American doctor who’s the ex-husband of a famous U.S. gymnast.

That’s the tangled web the RCMP have been tasked with unravelling after Ottawa police detained 42-year old Christopher Phillips at a hotel in the city’s east end on Wednesday.

The expat doctor, who was recently living in Nova Scotia, was the subject of a Canada-wide warrant Wednesday after police discovered a cache of chemicals in a cottage outside Halifax.

Ottawa police evacuated the Chimo Hotel late Tuesday night as hazardous material teams descended on the site. Phillips — a U.S. citizen — was detained without incident early Wednesday morning. A police sweep determined there were no hazardous materials on the premises, and authorities said there was no threat to public safety.

Canadian officials have not confirmed the man detained at the Ottawa hotel is Phillips, and he had not been charged as of Wednesday evening. But Phillips’ Olympian former wife, Shannon Miller, as well as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, independently confirmed his identity on Wednesday.

“(Homeland Security’s) investigation attaché office in Ottawa is assisting Canadian law enforcement with their investigation into Christopher Phillips,” wrote U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement advisor Barbara Gonzalez.

“Because it’s an ongoing matter, we have no further information to provide at this time.”

Nick Furris, who described himself as the business partner of Olympian-turned-motivational-speaker Miller, confirmed that the man arrested in Ottawa was Miller’s former spouse, Christopher Phillips.

In a prepared statement, Miller said she’s praying for the safety of those around Phillips.

“I’m thankful for the brave men and women of the Ottawa police department and other law enforcement agencies were able to apprehend him and defuse the situation without incident,” Miller wrote.

The man at the centre of the police probe is an ophthalmologist — once licensed to practice in the State of Washington — who has also studied business and holds a law degree.

And according to a document filed in U.S. courts, he had also battled an addiction to powerful narcotic painkillers that prompted stays in psychiatric facilities.

“Defendant testified that the effect of withdrawal from narcotics continues to this day, expressing itself in sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, anger and weight loss,” a U.S. judge wrote in a 2009 ruling.

The events leading to Phillips’ arrest are not yet clear but they began late Monday in Cole Harbour, N.S., a sprawling suburb community in Halifax.

Local RCMP responded to a call reporting a suspicious package just after 9 p.m., at or near 54 Lakeridge Cres. They guarded the package until a specialized unit came to dispose of it Tuesday, and a number of nearby residents were forced to temporarily leave their homes.

The property is registered to a Dr. Gosia Phillips, and a Christopher B. Phillips is listed as a spouse on mortgage documents obtained by the Star.

Corporate records show that another Cole Harbour residence at 43 Parkedge Cres. — also searched by the RCMP — was associated with a business called Neurology and Sleep Medicine Associates Inc.

Gosia Phillips is listed as the director and president of that company. But in his online LinkedIn profile, Christopher Phillips claimed he has been managing the company since January 2009.

The owner of the Parkedge Cres. home is listed as Maria Klonowska. A Gosia Phillips changed her name from Malgorzata Ewa Klonowska in 2010.

The investigation Tuesday led police to a cottage at 95 Dyke Rd. in the rural community of Grand Desert, outside of Halifax, where a large quantity of chemicals was found.

According to property records, the Dyke Rd. residence is registered to Marian Sue Phillips in El Reno, Okla.

“I have no comment,” said a woman by that name, when reached by telephone Wednesday morning.

RCMP Cpl. Greg Church said police have called in chemists to identify the substances, and authorities have released little information on what they believe they are. But the police took the precaution of asking nearby residents to leave their homes, and that order remained in effect Wednesday evening.

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“I can confirm we’re taking all measures necessary to the highest level. So, if in fact the chemicals are very, very toxic, we’ve taken measures to ensure the safety of the public and of the responders who are working the scenes,” Church said.

Investigators from Nova Scotia were travelling to Ottawa Wednesday to interview Christopher Phillips. Ottawa police said one individual connected to the investigation at Chimo Hotel remained in custody Wednesday afternoon, but did not indicate charges were pending.

With files from Robin Levinson King and Star wire services

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