Two youths are facing several charges involving attempted murder of an RCMP officer near Truro early on Sunday morning.
In a media release, police said the officer, who was travelling home after wrapping up a shift, stopped and exited his vehicle at about 3:20 a.m. in North River when he observed a “suspicious school bus” parked on Highway 311.
“The officer noted that a dark-coloured sedan had been parked in front of the school bus and a male was standing outside of the car speaking to someone in the driver’s seat,” the release said, adding the sedan pulled away after the male returned inside the bus.
Police say the individual inside the bus fled on foot after the officer approached the vehicle and began asking questions.
“The officer chased after the male when he was intentionally struck by the dark-coloured sedan,” police said.
“The male who had fled on foot got into the dark-coloured sedan, which turned around and made two more attempts to strike the officer.”
The officer was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries as several members of the RCMP and the Truro Police Service began their search for the sedan.
Police say the officer has been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home.
They say investigators discovered the bus was stolen in Sackville, New Brunswick, and the suspects also broke into a nearby store before the attempted murder.
“During the break-in, the suspects stole energy drinks,” police said.
On Wednesday, police arrested a 15-year-old male at a train station in Miramichi, N.B., which is about 300 km from where the incident occurred on Sunday. The second suspect, a 17-year-old male, was arrested in Halifax on Thursday.
Both youths are facing a total of eight charges, including attempted murder, assault on a peace officer with a weapon, possession of property obtained by crime, and fleeing from police.
The two suspects are currently being held in custody and will appear in Truro Provincial Court on Friday.