A man who was arrested after a gun was fired during a traffic stop in Berwick, N.S. is facing new charges in connection with the incident.
A member of the Kings District RCMP conducted a traffic stop at exit 15 on Highway 101 shortly after 4 a.m. on Dec. 11.
Police say there was an “interaction between the driver and the police officer" and a gun was fired. The driver then fled into a wooded area nearby.
Investigators spent days combing the area for evidence and confirmed Wednesday they found a gun.
“On Monday, we did locate a firearm in the area near where the suspect was arrested near highway 101 Exit 15,” said Nova Scotia RCMP spokesman Cpl. Jennifer Clarke.
Police wouldn’t say what type of firearm was found.
“We do have to do some testing on that,” said Clarke. “The charges are in relation to the evidence we’ve recovered so far.”
Police won't say who fired the gun, but the director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is.
“We are involved because the police officer referred to in our documents as the subject officer discharged his firearm,” said SIRT director Felix Cacchione. “That caused us to be contacted by the detachment and we are looking at the discharge of the firearm and trying to determine whether or not the injuries suffered by the affected party were as a result of the discharge of the firearm.”
The RCMP officer wasn’t injured and called for backup. The RCMP’s Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, and RCMP Air Services all responded to the scene.
Police shut down Highway 101 between exits 15 and 16 and contained the area as they searched for the suspect.
The 26-year-old suspect was eventually located and arrested by police. During his arrest, police noticed the man was injured. Police won't say whether he had been shot.
The man was taken to hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening injury and later released. A 20-year-old male passenger who remained inside the vehicle was arrested and held in custody.
The passenger was charged on Dec. 12 with resisting or obstructing a peace officer. The Crown alleges Treyton Alexander Marsman of Lakeside, N.S. gave a false name to the RCMP.
The driver, Dhari Salman Shalaan of Halifax, was charged on Dec. 12 with assaulting a peace officer, resisting or obstructing a peace officer, and escaping lawful custody.
Shalaan is facing the following charges:
- Impeding performance of duty, using violence
- Impeding performance of duty, threatening to use violence
- Using a firearm during flight from police
- Carrying, handling, transporting or storing a restricted weapon in a careless manner
- Pointing a firearm
- Possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public peace
- Carrying a concealed weapon
- Possessing a firearm without being the holder of a licence
- Possession of a firearm while prohibited from doing so
Shalaan remains in custody. He is due back in court on Thursday.
Marsman was released from custody, with conditions, on Tuesday. He is due in Kentville provincial court on Jan. 29.
Cacchione says SIRT investigators are working to collect evidence and that there are two separate investigations.
“One is the criminal investigation conducted by the RCMP and the other is our investigation,” he said. “They are essentially parallel at this point. We have spoken to the subject officer. We have obtained a statement from him and we are in the process of reviewing that statement.”
SIRT says their investigation is still in the early stages. They have 3 months to issue a report once the investigation is complete.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Natasha Pace.