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St. Stephen, N.B. man shot by police, charged following two incidents involving machete

(Photo courtesy: RCMP) (Photo courtesy: RCMP)
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HALIFAX -

A 26-year-old man from St. Stephen, N.B. is facing several charges after a pair of incidents involving a machete in the community early Tuesday morning.

In a news release, the New Brunswick RCMP says at approximately 4 a.m. on Sept. 16, officers responded to a report of an individual in mental distress with a weapon outside a home on Ross Avenue.

“When police arrived on scene, they were confronted by a man armed with a machete. The man refused to drop the weapon when instructed to do so and advanced towards police. An RCMP member discharged a firearm. First aid was immediately administered at the scene, and the man was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound,” said police in a news release.

According to police, they later learned that the same man was involved in a disturbance at a home near Ross Avenue earlier that morning, where he allegedly attacked a 29-year-old man with a machete.

The 29-year-old man sustained minor injuries and did not require treatment.

Jacob Joseph Lawrence Hanley, 26, of St. Stephen appeared in Saint John Provincial Court by way of tele-remand on Wednesday, and was charged with two counts of assaulting a peace officer and one count of assault with a weapon.

Hanley was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 18.

The New Brunswick RCMP is asking for an independent agency to conduct a review of police actions in the shooting of Hanley.

"Use of force is never an action taken lightly," says Cpl. Hans Ouellette of the New Brunswick RCMP. "We are committed to being accountable and transparent to the communities we serve about police actions. That is why it is standard practice for the New Brunswick RCMP to seek an independent agency to review our actions when there are serious incidents involving our police officers."

RCMP in New Brunswick have asked the Department of Justice and Public Safety to identify an agency to conduct the independent review since the province does not have an independent review agency

The New Brunswick RCMP say they will cooperate fully in the review.

"The members involved in the incident have been offered support services, and have been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of the review," read the release.

Police say the investigation is ongoing. 

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