Updated Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 3:00 p.m.
BRIDGEWATER, N.S. – Police have seized an assault-style weapon and several other firearms from a home near two southwestern Nova Scotia schools.
According to court documents, Bridgewater police arrested a 37-year-old Sheldon Earl Bowers on Monday, after receiving reports of shots being fired in a home on York Street — just blocks away from Bridgewater Junior Senior High School and Bridgewater Elementary School.
South Shore Regional School Board (SSRSB) officials said schools were placed on lockdown around 1:30 p.m. as a precaution, after learning of a potential threat in the community.
“The investigation is still ongoing,” said Bridegwater Police Chief John Collyer. “There were some death threats made, so that’s all part of the investigation right now. I can confirm that weapons have been seized at the scene.”
Officers uncovered eight long guns, including shotguns, rifles and an assault-style weapon at the home, as well as marijuana and cocaine, Collyer said on Tuesday
Bowers is facing several drug and weapons related offences and with uttering death threats. He was taken to South Shore Regional Hospital for a mental health assessment following his arrest and is now in police custody.
He is due back in court on Jan. 30
All 460 elementary school students were evacuted and relocated to the Nova Scotia Community College campus.
The high school students remained inside the building. The lockdown ended, about 90 minutes later, just before official were going to evacuate the students.
“The teachers were each with their classes and everyone was very well behaved,” SSRSB Occupational Health and Safety Manager Gail Sinclair said. “Everyone was calm and everything went well.”
Students were told they were taking part in an “isolation drill,” Collyer explained.
*With files from Mayya Assouad and The Canadian Press
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