A shooting in East Preston yesterday has the dubious distinction of being the first murder in Nova Scotia this year.
One man in his 30s was shot to death. Another male was arrested shortly afterwards and is being held by police.
Police received a 911 call about 3:30 in the afternoon after residents heard gunshots on Brian Street. Police arrived and found two men in a car. The driver had minor injuries. The passenger had been shot to death.
Police got a “very good” description of the suspect and his vehicle, a red van. A General Investigation Section member spotted a matching vehicle soon after on Highway 107. The officer followed the van to Caledonia Road where Halifax Regional Police stopped it.
One male suspect was arrested.
Police have identified the victim, but did not release a name. That will likely happen today after family members have had a chance to be notified.
In the hours after the murder, large groups of people gathered on the street.
“It’s a really close-knit community, and they’re really concerned about what happened in their community here. So they’re coming in and asking questions and wondering why, why would something like this happen,” said RCMP spokesman Cpl. Joe Taplin.
The injuries to the driver were not serious enough to require him to be hospitalized.
As of the early evening police were waiting for a warrant to search the entire vehicle.
Then the RCMP Forensic Investigation Unit would reconstruct the scene.
The suspect has not yet been charged with anything.
Taplin said police don’t believe the murder has anything to do with the case of the cab driver who went missing this week after picking up a fare at Gaston Road in Dartmouth.
