Two men are facing numerous charges after a car was shot at in Central Onslow, N.S., early Friday morning, in an incident that prompted the RCMP to issue an emergency alert.
In a release Saturday, the RCMP said officers responded shortly before 12:30 a.m. Friday to a report that a vehicle travelling on Highway 2 in Central Onslow had been shot at with what they believed at the time to be a paintball gun.
“The victim, who was not injured in the incident, observed a vehicle heading slowly in the opposite direction and slowed down to see if the vehicle travelling slowly needed assistance,” the release said.
“The victim then heard what they believed were paintball gun shots being fired at their vehicle. It was later determined that the victim’s vehicle had suffered damage from a bullet.”
Officers identified the suspect and the suspect vehicle Friday morning, and teams were dispatched to search for them. An emergency alert was issued shortly after 9 a.m. in the Cumberland, Colchester and East Hants areas, warning of a “dangerous man with a firearm.”
“Through the investigation and numerous tips received from the public, a second suspect believed to be involved in the incident was then identified,” the release said.
The second suspect, 39-year-old Jeffrey Elmer Moxsom of Lower Onslow, was arrested just after 12 p.m. at a residence in Lower Onslow. The first suspect and subject of the emergency alert, Gregory Allen Barr, was arrested about 20 minutes later in Londonderry.
The emergency alert was cancelled just after 12:30 p.m.
Both men are being held in custody and are scheduled to appear in Truro Provincial Court Monday. The suspects were not known to the victim.
Moxsom was charged with firearm offences, including discharge with intent to endanger life, careless use of a firearm and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Barr, who was driving the vehicle, was charged with careless use of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm and flight from police.
Police say the investigation is ongoing.