Shot fired during incident outside Dorchester Penitentiary

New Brunswick RCMP are investigating after a shot was fired outside of the Dorchester prison Sunday night.

The incident happened around 9 p.m. but the circumstances remain hazy.

“We received a report of a shot fired at the institution but no reports of anyone being injured,” said RCMP Const. Jullie Rogers-Marsh.

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Rogers-Marsh wouldn’t elaborate on the circumstances of the incident saying it’s part of an ongoing investigation.

The Correctional Service of Canada wouldn’t comment on the incident either but did confirm a shot was fired and that the matter is now in the hands of the police.

An anonymous source who contacted Global’s Halifax newsroom said the incident was sparked when security officers at the prison spotted an unknown male attempting to throw a package over the penitentiary’s wall.

Prison officials would not confirm that report.

Neither the RCMP nor Correctional Service Canada would say if anyone is in custody or if any charges have been laid as a result of the incident.

The medium security unit of the prison has been locked down since Monday afternoon for what is called an “exceptional” search.

Under Section 53 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, prison officials can authorize an exceptional search if there is a clear and present danger  of “substantial danger to human life or safety or to the security of the penitentiary.”

An exceptional search could include the frisking and strip search of all inmates in the institution.

Dorchester’s medium security unit has a rated capacity for 392 male offenders.

Visits to the institution have been suspended until the search ends.

Assistant Warden Emile Belliveau would not comment on when the search would end saying that Correctional Service Canada doesn’t comment on operational procedures for security reasons.

The Dorchester Penitentiary is one of Canada’s oldest prisons. It was first opened in 1880.