An individual from Annapolis Valley is charged with attempted murder and various weapons offenses following a shooting incident involving a woman known to him, who sustained life-threatening injuries and was promptly taken to the hospital. Ryan Alexander Cole, aged 36, appeared briefly in Nova Scotia Provincial Court on Monday, with his case adjourned until Aug. 25, while he remains in custody.
The incident transpired on a Saturday morning in South Farmington in the Annapolis Valley when law enforcement responded to a shooting report. The alleged perpetrator fled the scene in a damaged Mazda sedan, heading towards Halifax. Police pursued the vehicle and attempted to halt it using a spike belt on the highway, but the suspect evaded the deflation device. Subsequently, the suspect was tracked from the air until the Mazda ultimately stopped after colliding with a tree as the man tried to navigate a hiking trail behind a shopping mall in Bedford, a suburb of Halifax.
Following the collision, the suspect fled on foot, prompting the RCMP to issue alerts to the public. RCMP Cpl. Mandy Edwards highlighted the safety concerns posed by dealing with a suspected armed individual. She explained the issuance of localized alerts and, subsequently, an emergency alert to all residents in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) as the suspect’s whereabouts remained unknown. The arrest operation involved police dog teams from the RCMP and Halifax Regional Police, along with emergency response units from both forces.
While confirming a connection between Cole and the victim, Edwards refrained from disclosing the exact nature of their relationship. Cole possesses an extensive criminal history dating back to 2008, with charges including breaching conditions of previous releases, disarming a police officer, resisting an officer, and unauthorized sharing of intimate images.