Court date reschedule for man accused of shooting co-worker with nail gun

A court date for a man accused of shooting a co-worker with a nail gun has been re-rescheduled to Feb. 11.

Shawn Wade Hynes was expected to appear in Pictou provincial court on Jan. 7, but neither he or his legal representation were there.

Hynes was arrested and charged with criminal negligence after shooting co-worker Nhlanhla Dlamini with a nail-gun on Sept. 27.

The incident occurred at a jobsite in Abercrombie on Sept. 19.

Dlamini has said Hynes told him he was moving too slow and pointed a nail gun at him. He alleges Hynes had removed the safety on the nail-gun and then shot a three-and-a-half-inch nail at him.

Dlamini suffered a partially collapsed lung as a result, which required emergency surgery and left him in hospital for four days.

The accusations have not been proven in court.

Dlamini also he had been facing workplace harassment for three weeks leading up to the incident.

PQ Properties lawyer said no reports of harassment were ever lodged with PQ.

“We take all our employees’ safety and wellbeing very seriously,” Craig Clarke said in the release following the incident. “PQ Properties Ltd. has policies in place respecting workplace safety as well as harassment and bullying. We denounce any discriminatory behavior of any kind in the strongest terms.”

After rescheduling the courtdate, Judge Del Atwood reserved the right to issue a warrant should Hynes fail to appear again Feb. 11.