SYDNEY, N.S. -- Two people remained in hospital Sunday as police continued to investigate multiple crime scenes as part of a shooting and manhunt that occurred Saturday in Cape Breton.
A shocking scene at Membertou First Nation, N.S., was captured on camera Saturday evening, as police apprehended a suspect who allegedly shot two people.
Police tweeted at 5:47 p.m. that they were looking for Raymond Shawn Daniel Leroy, who was suspected of shooting two individuals in North Sydney and Florence.
“The first scene was in the location of Highway 105, a female approximately 31 years of age received a gunshot wound. She’s currently in stable condition.” says Staff Sgt. Joe Farrell of the Cape Breton Regional Police. “The second scene was in the 600 block on the Bras D’or Florence Road in the community of Florence at a residence where a 50-year-old male suffered gunshot wounds and is currently in critical condition.”
Police said that Leroy could be in possession of a weapon and was considered dangerous.
“He is very well known to police and has a violent past. He is a huge public safety concern for our police force,” said Staff-Sgt. Farrell.
Police say Leroy then took an all-terrain vehicle at gunpoint in the area of Sydney Mines, and attempted to enter a residence on King St. in North Sydney.
At 6:13 p.m., Leroy was taken into police custody in the Membertou area of Cape Breton, after being spotted on an ATV trail near Highway 125.
“There will be multiple charges,” says Farrell. “The Major Crime Unit are currently working on that, but charges will be up to, and including, attempted murder.”
Police say this is not Leroy’s first run-in with the law. In January of this year, he was accused of shooting three people on December 22, 2019.
At that time, Leroy faced two charges of attempted murder, as well as charges of aggravated assault, uttering threats, breaking and entering, and various firearms offences.
As the manhunt was underway Saturday afternoon, social media was buzzing, including with criticisms that police did not issue an emergency alert.
Farrell says police were in the process of issuing a public alert when the suspect was caught.
“A media release went out from our communications person, and at the same time, an application was made to the province for the emergency alert system,” says Farrell. “That process does take time, and we were in the process of completing the emergency alert when the suspect was taken into custody.”
Leroy has been remanded to the Cape Breton Correctional Centre and will appear in Sydney Provincial Court on Monday. The investigation is ongoing.
