RCMP say an emergency alert covering the Halifax Regional Municipality has ended after a shooting suspect was taken into custody.<\/p>\n
Late Saturday morning, RCMP issued an emergency alert over a dangerous man with a firearm who was believed to be in the woods behind the Sunnyside Mall in Bedford, N.S. This alert was for the community of Bedford only.<\/p>\n
Halifax Regional Police initially reported via email that the suspect was believed to be involved in a shooting in Annapolis Royal, N.S. However, RCMP later clarified that the incident occurred in South Farmington, N.S., in Annapolis County. Police have not released further details about the shooting.<\/p>\n
During the search, Halifax police had described the suspect as a 31-year-old white man, six feet three inches with brown hair and brown facial hair.<\/p>\n
RCMP then expanded the emergency alert to cover all of the HRM around 12:15 p.m., but ended the alert just before 1 p.m. after the suspect was taken into custody.<\/p>\n
Customers and staff were locked inside The Chickenburger restaurant on the Bedford Highway, next to Sunnyside Mall, as the search unfolded.<\/p>\n
Emergency alert issued as shooting suspect arrested near Halifax<\/p>\n
"There's all kinds of police presence, RCMP and Halifax Regional [Police], and there's the police helicopter going over and over," an employee named Loretta told CBC News.<\/p>\n
Wyatt Verdonck, an employee at On the Wedge Pizza inside the mall, said staff sheltered in place after his manager closed the restaurant.<\/p>\n
He said that while many people evacuated the mall, he believed the suspect wouldn't be able to enter the building.<\/p>\n
"I felt pretty safe honestly, with all the police around here," Verdonck said.<\/p>\n
Earlier Saturday, RCMP warned the public to look out for a grey Mazda with front-end damage and a broken rear window last seen in New Minas, N.S. Police later towed a matching vehicle from behind Sunnyside Mall in Bedford.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear what investigation the Mazda is linked to, or whether the towed car is the same one seen in New Minas. CBC News has asked the RCMP for confirmation.<\/p>\n
Why it\u2019s hard to find a public water fountain in Halifax<\/p>\n
Appeal Court rules people living in tents eligible for higher allowance<\/p>\n