Halifax man ID’d as victim killed in N.B. home invasion tied to emergency alert

A 35-year-old Halifax man has been identified as the victim killed in a violent New Brunswick home invasion that resulted in an emergency alert being sent out last week.

At approximately 5:51 a.m. last Thursday, RCMP officers in eastern New Brunswick responded to a report of a home invasion at a residence on Isaiah Road, in Berry Mills.

A man and a woman, both in their thirties, were home at the time when three individuals forcibly broke into the house.

Police said an altercation occurred, resulting in the fatality of one man. At the time, police were looking for a 2018 Dodge Ram 2500, and a light-coloured Ford F150. Police said when they arrived, two suspected had already fled the scene.

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The man who died was identified Monday as Brian Justin Johnson. He died at the scene as a result of his injuries, police said.

An Alert Ready message was issued at 7:30 a.m. Initially, police believed the suspects were driving in the black 2018 Dodge Ram 2500. The Mounties later issued a statement saying the suspects could be travelling in an older, light-coloured Ford F-150 pickup.

Police said Monday officers are no longer searching for the black 2018 Dodge Ram 2500, and have been able to recover the light-coloured Ford F150, now described as a blue 2011 Ford F150.

RCMP said investigators believe this was a “targeted incident.” Police are looking for dashcam or other video footage. They would also like to speak to anyone who was travelling in the Berry Mills area during those early morning hours.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

— with files from Rebecca Lau