No charges will be laid against RCMP officers who were present when a homicide suspect was wounded in the Tatamagouche area last fall.
Nova Scotia’s independent Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) has released a report on the investigation into the shooting and arrest of Ernie (Junior) Ross Duggan.
Shortly before midnight on September 17, 2017, Colchester District RCMP were investigating the homicide of Susan Butlin, in Bayhead.
They tried to stop a vehicle they believed was being driven by someone connected to the homicide, but the driver led them on a pursuit that ended when he drove into Lockerbie Memorial Cemetery.
Officers spoke with the man for several hours, attempting to get him to surrender, but shortly before 7 a.m. gunfire was exchanged, and the suspect was wounded.
Because the matter of the homicide is now before the courts, the report will not discuss the facts in detail.
Duggan has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Susan Butlin, and attempted murder of RCMP officers
A complete copy of the report is available at http://sirt.novascotia.ca.
SIRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia. Investigations are under the direction and control of independent civilian interim director Felix Cacchione, who is solely responsible for decisions respecting the laying of any charge.