Portapique, N.S. — A daylong standoff in the rural community of Portapique has ended with two people dead.
The incident began at 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday after police received a 911 call that led them to an apartment on Mitchell Drive in Truro Heights where they found the body of a 47-year-old woman.
The scene was surrounded by yellow police tape and police cars by Wednesday morning.
“Sad. Very sad,” said Linda Pulsifer, the victim’s sister-in-law.
“It’s a bad tragedy for two people actually. And nobody probably will actually cause they were the only two in the home.”
Pulsifer stopped at the apartment to try and come to terms with what happened.
“She was a beautiful person. She was a hard worker, a lovely mother, grandmother, sister-in-law. I’ve known her since she was five, six years old,” Pulsifer said, while holding back tears.
Get daily National news
Police would not comment on how long the victim was deceased before her body was found.
A hunt for a man believed to be in the house at the time the woman died took police to a remote road about 35 kilometers away to the rural community of Portapique, where a 49-year-old man locked himself inside a parked vehicle for hours.
A crisis negotiator and emergency response members were at the scene all day but as the night fell, the situation took a tragic twist.
“Shortly after six o’clock, the 49-year-old man died in the vehicle as a result of a self inflicted gunshot wound,” said Sgt. Al LeBlanc with the Nova Scotia RCMP.
“We were in contact with the man. Clearly our goal was to resolve this situation in a peaceful manner. Clearly it didn’t happen.”
- Calgary photographers, bird watchers flock to catch a glimpse of rare woodpecker
- ‘A piece of us is now gone:’ Family of man fatally shot seeks justice after 8 arrested
- ‘More than just a roof’: New housing for Winnipeg women fleeing violence unveiled
- Threats against Regina airport deemed unfounded as police probe incident
The man was in possession of a gun but police won’t say how the woman died.
They also would not confirm the relationship between the man and the female victim, but family members confirmed to Global News that the pair are husband and wife.
Until Wednesday, however, family said they did not have any worries about their relationship.
The names of the man and the woman have not yet been released.
Police are expected to remain at both scenes through the night investigating.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.