Suspect in woman’s death in Portapique kills himself, RCMP say

HALIFAX – The police standoff in Portapique is over after the 49-year-old man who had barricaded himself in a vehicle for most of the day died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

RCMP said it happened shortly before 6 p.m.

The case is being referred to the province’s Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT).

The standoff began early Wednesday morning when police were called to a Truro Heights apartment on Mitchell Drive where they found the body of a 47-year-old woman.

Police believe the man was a suspect in the suspicious death. They wouldn’t say who called the police or how she died.

Portapique Beach Road was blocked off for 14 hours, where the man had barricaded himself in the car.

On Wednesday afternoon, many cars were seen driving slowly past the crime scene. The victim’s family was in one of them, and stopped to tell Global News they were overwhelmed with sadness.

According to them, she and her husband lived in the apartment for years.

They said the victim was a “beautiful person, a hard worker, a lovely mother and grandmother”.

No homes were evacuated, although some neighbours did leave the area voluntarily.

“It’s very unsettling because you don’t know if he’s going to get away or what the circumstances are behind it,” said neighbour Doug Meyers.

Police have not released the names of either victim.

With files from Natasha Pace and Julia Wong