Two men charged, police seek third suspect after lockdown at Halifax Shopping Centre

Two men are facing more than a dozen charges, and police are still searching for a third suspect, in connection with two robberies and an incident that prompted the lockdown of a popular Halifax shopping mall on Tuesday.

Halifax Regional Police responded to the first robbery at Ash Jewellery on Quinpool Road in Halifax around 11 a.m.

Police say two men entered the store and one was carrying what appeared to be a firearm. The men left the store empty-handed and fled the scene in a vehicle.

Police say an employee and customer were not injured.

Halifax District RCMP responded to the second robbery at the Cash Trader store on Sackville Drive around 12:20 p.m.

Police say two men entered the store and one appeared to be carrying a firearm. There was a struggle and the weapon was fired into the floor, but no one was injured.

Police say the men, who matched the description of the suspects from the robbery on Quinpool Road, fled the store with a quantity of cash and jewelry.

A short time later, Halifax Regional Police spotted the suspect vehicle travelling on Highway 102, approaching Bayers Road in Halifax.

HALIFAX SHOPPING CENTRE ON LOCKDOWN

Police tried to stop the vehicle, but they say the suspects refused to stop, and continued towards the Halifax Shopping Centre. They say three men abandoned the vehicle and fled inside the mall.

Police say they arrested two of the men without incident following a brief foot pursuit inside the shopping centre. Officers also seized stolen property.

The mall was locked down Tuesday afternoon while police continued to search for the third suspect. There was a heavy police presence, with more than a dozen RCMP and Halifax Regional Police vehicles on scene.

At 12:52 p.m., police said they were responding to a “weapons complaint” at the mall and were asking people to stay away from the area.

No one was allowed to leave or enter the mall during the lockdown and one woman told CTV News her daughter was inside with some friends. She said they were walking through the mall when security guards started instructing shoppers to get inside the stores.

The woman said her daughter and several other shoppers were locked inside the back room of a store as a precaution.

Three schools in the community were also placed on a hold-and-secure order as a precaution.

Police did not release any details about the weapons complaint Tuesday, but they did eventually confirm there had been no reports of injuries or gunshots.

At 3:30 p.m., police said they had taken two men into custody and there was no threat to the public. The area was reopened at that time.

On Wednesday, police confirmed the two men are facing a number of charges, but the third man has yet to be found.

Police also confirm they have not seized any weapons in connection with the incidents at this time.

Daniel Christian Anthony Johnson, 27, and Colton Alan Grantmyre, 26, were due to appear in Dartmouth provincial court Wednesday.

They each face the following charges:

• robbery (two counts)
• assault with a weapon (two counts)
• uttering threats (two counts)
• unlawful confinement (two counts)
• reckless discharge of a firearm
• careless handling of a firearm (two counts)
• pointing a firearm (three counts)
• possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose (two counts)
• carrying a concealed weapon (two counts)
• unauthorized possession of a firearm (two counts)
• possession of a firearm knowing it is unauthorized (two counts)
• unauthorized possession of a motor vehicle (two counts)
• mischief
• possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000

Grantmyre is also facing three counts of possession contrary to a firearms prohibition order.

Johnson is also being charged with one count of theft under $5,000.

Police are still searching for the third suspect, who is described as a Black man in his 20s. He is about six feet tall with a medium build and wears an earring in his left ear. He was wearing a black hooded sweater and grey pants at the time of the incident.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the incident, or who has video of the area, to contact Halifax Regional Police at 902-490-5020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).