Halifax police shoots at car after officer nearly run down, guns drawn at wrong suspects

Halifax Regional Police say an officer shot at a car fleeing a traffic stop, and then later police pulled over the wrong suspect vehicle.

Police said at around 7 p.m. Wednesday two officers were outside of their vehicle on Main Avenue when they spotted a car driving erratically.

The officers waved down the vehicle and it stopped, police said. But then the vehicle suddenly accelerated towards one of the officers when they approached.

In an attempt to stop the vehicle, police said the officer took out their gun and shot twice into the side of the vehicle.

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The vehicle managed to get away and the officer was not physically injured.

A short time later, police said they believed they had found the fleeing vehicle in a parking lot at the corner of Joseph Howe Drive and Dutch Village Road.

Police said four suspects were initially arrested but were then released after “it was determined they and their vehicle were not involved in the incident.”

Video circulating on social media appears to show an elevated view where several police cruisers surround a vehicle and officers are seen with their guns drawn at the Shoppers Drug Mart on Joseph Howe Drive and Main Street.

Police said the fleeing vehicle was then located at a Halifax residence a few hours later at around 1 a.m. Thursday.

A man and woman were arrested and neither had sustained injuries from being shot at, police said.

The SIRT (Serious Incident Response Team) is investigating the incident. SIRT investigates the conduct of police when civilians are involved.

SIRT declined Global News’ request for an interview but said more information would be provided later today.