N.S. MLA calls for independent review of emergency alert after man shot by police

Former Nova Scotia Justice Minister Becky Druhan, centre, speaks at a news conference. (Source: Jesse Thomas/CTV News Atlantic)

Becky Druhan, Nova Scotia’s former justice minister, is calling for an independent review of an emergency alert connected to a man who was shot and killed by police near Chelsea last week.

In an open letter to the Department of Justice and the Emergency Management Office, Druhan said these types of incidents “raise systemic questions about emergency management.” She noted the review should be conducted by one reviewer who would report to a government minister.

“Nova Scotians have already invested considerable time, expertise, and resources in assessing our public safety systems, most notably through the work of the Mass Casualty Commission, Desmond Fatality Inquiry and other reviews,” the letter reads.

“Rather than establishing another broad public inquiry, I believe our focus should now be on ensuring those recommendations are being effectively implemented, evaluating how they perform during real-world incidents, identifying any remaining gaps, and being transparent with the public about what has been learned.”

Shooting timeline

Police issued the alert about a “dangerous man” with a weapon in Lunenburg and Queens counties around 6 p.m. on July 8. They cancelled the alert around 9 p.m.

Sean Auld, superintendent for the Nova Scotia RCMP, said they made the decision to call off the alert after a five-hour search.

Roughly 12 hours later, officers responded to a report of a person with a weapon near Chelsea and identified them as the same person connected to the alert.

“During the RCMP response, an officer discharged their firearm,” an RCMP news release reads. “The man sustained injuries consistent with a gun shot wound. Officers provided first aid on scene.”

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT), which is investigating the shooting, confirmed the man died.

Call for review

Druhan, who represents the Lunenburg West riding for the Liberal Party, said her proposed review of the incident would not duplicate SiRT’s work or any investigation by the medical examiner. She wants it to focus on:

• the decision-making process on the issuance and cancellation of the emergency alert
• communication and coordination among responding agencies
• if existing emergency response policies and protocols were followed

“The public deserves confidence not only that individual actions are independently investigated where appropriate, but also that government is committed to learning from significant incidents and continuously improving the systems intended to keep Nova Scotians safe,” the letter reads.

Auld said they conduct an initial review of every emergency alert followed by a formal review.

“In this case, the messaging of the cancellation could have been improved,” Auld said. “We have determined the next alert cancellation will include more information.”

With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Andrea Jerrett and Callum Smith

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