Yarmouth man facing nine charges
A Yarmouth man is facing nine charges in connection with an alleged Feb. 4 shooting in Yarmouth that injured a 17-year-old girl.
Scott Alan Smith, 22, was arrested and taken into police custody after a heavy police presence converged on Butler Street Wednesday evening, Feb. 5, where police believed him to be. Smith was arrested without incident.
Court documents list his residence as being “no fixed address.”
Charges were filed at the Yarmouth Justice Centre the next morning while Smith was still undergoing questioning by the RCMP.
Initially seven charges were laid but then another two charges were filed with the court later in the morning.
According to court documents and the listed Criminal Code charges, Smith stands accused of:
• using a firearm (identified as a handgun) in a careless manner
• criminal negligence causing bodily harm
• assault with a weapon
• aggravated assault
• pointing a firearm
• unauthorized possession of a firearm
• possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose
• possession of a firearm knowing possession is unauthorized
• possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition
The RCMP say they are investigating a shooting in Yarmouth that left a 17-year-old female with serious but nonlife-threatening injuries on the evening of Feb. 4. At approximately 10:10 p.m. that night the Yarmouth RCMP responded to a call about a possible gunshot victim.
“The victim was located inside a taxi on Main Street when the driver flagged down police out of concern for their passenger,” the RCMP said in a media release.
“A 911 call was placed and the RCMP was en route when flagged down by the driver,” added RCMP Corporal Lisa Croteau.
When the RCMP approached the vehicle, the member observed injuries to the passenger and she was transported to hospital by EHS. She was the only passenger inside the vehicle.
The RCMP said their preliminary investigation revealed that the victim had been socializing with several people at a home on Cliff Street in Yarmouth where she was shot. The RCMP said the victim and suspect were known to each other.
After being held in RCMP custody overnight following his arrest, Smith made a brief court appearance in provincial court in Yarmouth Thursday afternoon, Feb. 6, where he consented to continued remand (custody) in a provincial institution until Feb. 25. On that day a showcause/bail hearing is scheduled to be held in Yarmouth provincial court to determine if he is or isn’t released from custody.
There was no scheduled provincial court in Yarmouth on Feb. 6 so Judge James Burrill presided over the session via a video link from the Shelburne courthouse. Smith’s court appearance was very short, lasting only a couple of minutes.