Four teens are in custody in connection with a violent home invasion in Cole Harbour, N.S. that sent three teens to hospital Sunday evening.
Police responded to a report of a shooting on Arklow Drive around 7 p.m. Investigators said four males wearing bandanas forced their way into the home and fired shots.
A 17-year-old male, 18-year-old male and 17-year-old female were taken to hospital. Police said they remained in hospital Monday evening and two of the alleged victims are listed in serious condition.
“This is a very, very serious incident and the people involved are very young so it is very concerning to the police and it should be concerning to police and the public as well,” said Halifax District RCMP Cpl. Greg Church.
A number of roads in the area were blocked off Sunday evening as police searched for the suspects. Investigators said the suspects ran along connecting pathways in the Arklow Drive and Merrimac Drive area towards a vehicle that had been waiting nearby.
Officers surrounded a home on Caldwell Road a short time later and a 17-year-old male and 18-year-old male surrendered and were taken into custody.
Police said two 17-year-old males were arrested without incident in Cole Harbour around 12:30 p.m. Monday. They remain in custody.
Investigators said the alleged victims and suspects are known to one another and the incident was not a random act.
Charges are pending.
“It should offer relief to citizens in the area because those individuals responsible for that crime last evening are now in police custody and we know that it was not a random act,” said Church.
Officers were back on scene at Arklow Drive and Caldwell Road Monday, gathering evidence from the homes. Investigators were also going door-to-door, questioning neighbours about the incident.
Police have also seized a safe and a Honda Civic in connection with the investigation.
Residents in the area said there was a heavy police presence on the roads through much of the night.
“There was police all along Forest Hills Drive at every street with their lights on and they were just standing there, watching the traffic go by,” said one resident. “I didn’t know what was going on.”
Damien Long was leaving his Cole Harbour home to take his family out for dinner when he saw emergency vehicles surrounding his neighbour’s home across the street.
“We pulled out, there’s an EHS car, a couple ambulances, a couple cop cars, thought nothing of it because there has been a few issues at the house before. Thought maybe someone got into a fight,” said Long.
He admits he felt “scared to death” once he saw the number of emergency crews in the area.
“Cops had a K9 unit, cop holding a semi-automatic in his hand out in the middle of the street. It’s a bit scary,” said Long. ‘This is supposed to be a quiet neighbourhood in Cole Harbour.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kelland Sundahl
