An emergency alert that briefly covered the Halifax Regional Municipality was cancelled Saturday after police arrested a man they believe was involved in a rural shooting earlier in Annapolis County, RCMP said.
Authorities said the suspect is linked to a shooting in South Farmington, N.S., and was taken into custody in the Bedford area late Saturday morning. The alert initially targeted the community around Sunnyside Mall and the Bedford Highway before being expanded to the rest of the HRM; it was ended just before 1 p.m.
Sequence of events
Police accounts contain a few shifts in detail as the investigation unfolded. Halifax Regional Police first reported by email that the shooting took place in Annapolis Royal, but RCMP later clarified the incident occurred in South Farmington, in Annapolis County. Investigators did not release further information about the shooting itself.
| Time (approx.) | Event |
|---|---|
| Late morning | Emergency alert issued for Bedford area about a dangerous man with a firearm |
| ~12:15 p.m. | Alert expanded to cover all of HRM |
| Just before 1 p.m. | Alert ended after suspect taken into custody |
During the search, customers and staff were locked inside The Chickenburger restaurant on the Bedford Highway, adjacent to Sunnyside Mall, while police conducted operations in the area.
How police described the suspect
Halifax police provided a physical description while the search was under way, saying the suspect was a 31-year-old white man, approximately 6 ft. 3 in. with brown hair and brown facial hair. RCMP did not immediately release further identifying details following the arrest.
"There's all kinds of police presence, RCMP and Halifax Regional [Police], and there's the police helicopter go"
The statement above was included in raw reporting while the situation was active, reflecting the visible police response in Bedford, including a police helicopter overhead.
Multi-jurisdictional response and public impact
The incident drew officers from multiple agencies, and RCMP said the alert was issued because the suspect was believed to be armed and dangerous. Such alerts are intended to warn communities and prompt caution while police work to locate a suspect.
- Location affected: Bedford area and later the wider Halifax Regional Municipality
- Where arrest occurred: Bedford, N.S.
- Origin of incident: Shooting reported in South Farmington, Annapolis County
At the time of the alert, businesses in the immediate area followed police direction; employees and patrons were temporarily held inside the restaurant as officers cleared the vicinity. No information has been released about injuries or the condition of any victims in the Annapolis County shooting.
RCMP said the alert was ended once the suspect was in custody. Investigators have not yet released additional details about charges, the motive for the shooting, or what evidence tied the arrested man to the incident in South Farmington.
What residents should know
Emergency alerts are broadcast for public safety when authorities have credible information of immediate danger. In this case, the alert was used to notify residents to avoid areas and to follow police instructions. Police generally advise the public to:
- Follow official alerts and updates from local police services;
- Stay away from scenes where active police operations are underway;
- Report any suspicious activity or sightings to local law enforcement.
RCMP and Halifax Regional Police continue to investigate the shooting in Annapolis County. Anyone with information about the incident or the movements of the suspect prior to the arrest is asked to contact investigators through the usual police reporting lines.
This arrest ends a period of immediate danger for residents in parts of HRM, but the case remains active as police work to piece together events that led to the rural shooting and the subsequent presence of a man armed in the Bedford area.
