An individual from Annapolis Valley has been charged with attempted murder and multiple weapons offenses following a shooting incident involving a woman known to him, who sustained severe injuries and was promptly taken to the hospital. Ryan Alexander Cole, aged 36, appeared briefly in Nova Scotia Provincial Court on Monday and his case has been adjourned until August 25, while he remains in custody.
The incident unfolded on Saturday morning in South Farmington within the Annapolis Valley region, triggering a police response to a reported shooting. The suspect fled the scene in a damaged Mazda sedan, heading towards Halifax. Law enforcement pursued the vehicle and deployed a spike belt on the highway in attempts to halt the suspect’s escape, following which aerial tracking was utilized.
Subsequently, the Mazda came to a halt after colliding with a tree as the suspect tried to navigate through a hiking trail behind a shopping center in the Bedford suburb of Halifax. The suspect then fled on foot, leading to the issuance of an alert by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
RCMP Corporal Mandy Edwards emphasized the public safety risks associated with dealing with an individual suspected of being armed, indicating that localized alerts were initially issued to the Bedford area where the suspect was last observed. However, an emergency alert was later broadcast to all Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) residents as the suspect’s whereabouts remained unknown.
Edwards disclosed that the RCMP and Halifax Regional Police deployed K-9 units and emergency response teams during the arrest operation. While confirming a connection between Cole and the victim, the exact nature of their relationship was not verified.
Cole’s criminal history, extending back to 2008, includes various charges such as breaching prior release conditions, disarming a police officer, resisting arrest, and unauthorized sharing of intimate images.
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