At approximately 11:20 a.m. yesterday morning, police responded to a report of a shot being fired at a 24-year-old woman from an apartment above a hardware store on Durham St. in Pugwash. Members of the Cumberland County District RCMP, Colchester County District RCMP, Northwest RCMP Traffic Services and RCMP Police Dog Services responded and immediately secured the area, taking the a 28-year-old Pugwash man into custody safely. The man was transported to the Amherst RCMP Detachment where he was lodged in cells for the night. No one was injured during the incident.
As part of the investigation, police executed a search warrant at the man’s apartment and seized a replica firearm, ammunition and a prohibited weapon.
Evan Taylor Vandewiel, 28, of Pugwash, has been charged with the following offences:
- Attempted Murder Using a Firearm;
- Assault with a Weapon;
- Intentionally Discharging Firearm While Being Reckless;
- Careless Use of a Firearm;
- Pointing a Firearm;
- Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose;
- Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm;
- Possession of a Firearm Knowing Possession is Unauthorized.
Vandewiel will be appearing in Amherst Provincial Court today.
Two schools and a hospital in the Pugwash area were placed on lockdown for a short time as a precaution. The lockdowns were lifted after Vandewiel’s arrest.
The investigation is continuing.
Source: Release