NOTE: This release is an update to the release issued Thursday July, 9 SiRT Investigating Police Involved Shooting | Serious Incident Response Team .

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) is investigating a matter involving the discharge of a firearm by a member of the RCMP in the Chelsea, Nova Scotia, that resulted in the death of an adult male.

On the morning of July 9, 2026 SiRT was contacted by the RCMP regarding a police involved shooting. SiRT immediately assumed responsibility for the investigation.

Preliminary information suggests the following:

• On the morning of July 9, 2026, members of the RCMP were responding to reports related to a man in possession of a gun in the Chelsea area.
• The adult male was located, and one officer discharged their firearm, striking the male.
• First aid was administered but the male was pronounced deceased at the scene.

As this is an active investigation SiRT will not be providing any further comment at this time.

SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of a public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer, on or off duty, in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick. Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation. To learn more visit: sirtnsnb.ca .

The Director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) found no reasonable grounds to believe a member of the RCMP committed a criminal offence when she discharged a firearm while responding to a call in Eastern Passage.

On the October 14, 2025, RCMP in the Halifax District responded to 911 calls related to a disturbance in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia. The first two officers on the scene located an adult female who appeared to be in distress and in possession of a large knife. She did not comply with officer’s commands and advanced towards them in a threatening manner. One officer discharged his Conducted Energy Weapon (Taser) twice but was unsuccessful both times. The female continued to advance towards one of the officers who pleaded with her to drop the knife. She did not comply and the officer discharged their firearm, striking the female in the leg. They continued to advance and the officer discharged her firearm again, striking the female in the chest. Officers provided lifesaving measures. She was transported by EHS to hospital and was pronounced deceased.

SiRT was contacted by RCMP shortly after the incident occurred and started its investigation immediately.

The Director’s detailed report is available online: Investigations | Serious Incident Response Team

SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of a public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation

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La directrice de la Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT), soit l’équipe d’intervention en cas d’incident grave, estime qu’il existe des motifs raisonnables de croire qu’un membre de la GRC à Blackville a commis une infraction criminelle.

Le 20 avril 2026, la SiRT a reçu un renvoi de la GRC concernant des allégations qu’un agent aurait agressé sa partenaire intime. La Force de police de Miramichi (FPM) a initialement répondu à l’appel le 17 avril 2026. La SiRT a pris en charge l’enquête une fois qu’elle a été informée de l’incident.

À la suite de l’enquête, le 8 juin, 2026, le gendarme  James MacMillan a été accusé sous un chef de voies de fait en violation de l’article 266 du Code criminel, un chef d’agression par étouffement en violation de l’alinéa 267(c) du Code criminel et un chef d’accusation d’entreposage négligent d’une arme à feu en violation du paragraphe 86(1) du Code criminel.

 Le gendarme MacMillan comparaîtra devant le tribunal de la Cour provinciale, au 673, route King George, à Miramichi, au Nouveau-Brunswick, le 24 août 2026, à 9 h 30.

Le résumé de l’enquête de la directrice se trouve en ligne : La SiRT dépose des accusations de voies de fait contre un agent de la GRC de Miramichi | Serious Incident Response Team . L’affaire étant devant les tribunaux, la SiRT ne formulera aucun autre commentaire sur cette enquête.

La SiRT a le mandat d’enquêter sur toutes les affaires de décès, de blessures graves, d’agression sexuelle et de violence entre partenaires intimes ou sur d’autres affaires d’intérêt public pouvant découler des actes d’agents de police, en service ou non, en Nouvelle-Écosse et au Nouveau-Brunswick. Les enquêtes sont menées sous la direction et le contrôle d’une personne civile indépendante qui a l’autorité absolue de déterminer si des accusations doivent être portées au terme de son enquête. Pour en savoir plus, visitez le site https://sirtnsnb.ca/fr.