2 charged in RCMP traffic stop that erupted in gunfire

Two Halifax-area men face a number of charges connected with a traffic stop by RCMP early Tuesday morning on Highway 101 that resulted in a gun being fired and a police manhunt for the driver of the vehicle.

Dhari Salman Shalaan, 26, of Halifax, is charged of assaulting a peace officer, obstruction and escaping custody. He is the alleged driver of the vehicle that was pulled over at about 4 a.m. near Berwick, N.S., by an RCMP officer. The officer he is accused of assaulting is Const. Bradley Savage.

Trenton Alexander Marsman, 20, of Lakeside, was a passenger in the vehicle. He is charged with obstruction.

Both men appeared in Kentville court Wednesday morning.

Details of what happened, such as whether the gun belonged to police and who fired it, have not been disclosed by RCMP or the Serious Incident Response Team, Nova Scotia's police watchdog.

SIRT director Felix Cacchione said "the investigation is in its infancy," and the agency is waiting for police and medical reports, and copies of officers' over-the-air transmissions, before releasing any information.

Shalaan had bandages on his right arm and hand during his court appearance. He has been remanded into custody and will appear in Windsor court on Friday for a bail hearing.

Cacchione said one part of the investigation will be to determine whether the suspect's injuries were from being bitten by a police dog or if he was shot.

Marsman was also remanded into custody and will be back in court Tuesday morning in Kentville. Part of that appearance will be to deal with a breach of release conditions.

Shalaan is known to police. In 2011, he was charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, administering a noxious thing, as well as weapons offences in connection with a stabbing in Spryfield.

Highway shut down for nearly 40 hours

The incident involving the men began when they were pulled over on the Exit 15 on-ramp of Highway 101. A gun was fired while the vehicle was stopped and the driver fled on foot into nearby woods, RCMP said in a statement.

One resident of Parker Condon Road, which runs parallel to Highway 101 in the Berwick area, told CBC News on Tuesday that she got a call from RCMP at around 5:30 a.m. telling her to lock her doors.

Police shut down Highway 101 between exits 15 and 16. Emergency response teams, police dogs and a helicopter were used in the search for the driver. He was later found, taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and then released into police custody.

The section of road remained closed overnight and was not reopened to traffic until about 7 p.m. on Wednesday due to the investigation. 

The police officer involved in the incident called for backup but was not injured, RCMP said.

RCMP advised nearby Somerset and District Elementary School to cancel classes Tuesday.

SIRT is looking to speak with witnesses. Investigators can be reached at 1-855-450-2010.