Police have arrested two suspects and are looking for a third after a brazen shooting in the heart of Halifax sent one man to hospital.
Halifax Regional Police responded to a report of possible gunshots in the area of Spring Garden Road and Dresden Row around 12:35 a.m. Friday.
Police confirmed a shooting had taken place and started searching the area.
A short time later, they located and arrested a 26-year-old man and a 31-year-old man inside Royal Artillery Park on Queen Street.
A police dog also located a handgun in the area.
At 1:20 a.m., police learned a 27-year-old man with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound had arrived at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre.
“At this time we believe that this is not a random act,” says Halifax Regional Police Const. Alicia Joseph. “We believe that the suspects and the victim are known to one another.”
Police are still searching for a third suspect, who is described as a black man between the ages of 25 and 30. He had his hair in braids and was wearing a blue shirt.
Forensic identification officers spent Friday combing the downtown as they searched for evidence.
News of the shooting, which happened at a time when many bars and restaurants in the area are still open, came as a shock to residents and visitors alike.
“We don’t expect it in Halifax. We know it’s happening in Amsterdam, but Halifax is peaceful in our eyes and not criminal, and we don’t see much police, and now they’re here and we wonder what’s wrong,” said tourists Cecilia and Antony van Weel, who are visiting from the Netherlands.
“I think in most of the city I feel safe walking on my own, even regardless of the time of day, except for when I’m downtown, actually,” says resident Leslie Reid. “Downtown is the only place where I find I’d rather not be by myself in the evening.”
Sue Uteck, executive director of the Spring Garden Area Business Association, is confident the area is safe, noting that the shooting wasn’t a random incident.
“This is a one-off event. It has nothing to do with Spring Garden itself,” says Uteck. “Come on down and visit, see for yourself. This is a very safe area.”
Halifax Regional Police say there have been 30 shootings in the city so far this year, including one fatality. There were 24 shootings in the area in all of 2018.
Anyone with information about the incident or the suspect is asked to contact Halifax Regional Police or Crime Stoppers.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Natasha Pace
