Police say man set on fire on Gottingen Street, charges withdrawn

Two men were charged after a man was briefly set on fire Monday night, but most of the charges have since been withdrawn or dismissed.

Halifax Regional Police say they were called to the Salvation Army on Gottingen Street just before 8:30 p.m. to reports of a disturbance on the sidewalk involving several men.

Police say a 47-year-old man was sprayed with an “ignitable fluid,” which was then briefly lit. The man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police say the victim was not the intended target, and the original disturbance involved two men who were known to each other.

A 30-year-old Halifax man was charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault. However, those charges were withdrawn on Jan. 22, 2020.

Another 27-year-old man was charged with assault with a weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon — both of which were dismissed on Mar. 22, 2022. He was found guilty of failing to comply with recognizance or undertaking in the 2019 incident, and completed the sentence.

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Editor’s note: This article was updated at 10:25 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2023, to reflect that the majority of charges in this incident were withdrawn or dismissed by the courts. Names of the men arrested have been redacted to protect their privacy.