Weapons complaint in Halifax leads to COVID-19 fines for 10 people

Halifax police responded to a weapons complaintSunday, and ended up ticketing 10 people for breaking public health orders.

Shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday, Halifax Regional Police issued a news release that statedofficers were on scene at a residence on Old Sambro Road in Spryfield. Police said the incident started with a report earlier that day of a man pointing a firearm.

Responding officersblocked off a section of Old Sambro Road and Dentith Road.

At 4 a.m. Monday, police issued an update stating the issue had been resolved. No criminal charges were laid, but police handed out fines to 10 adults who for breaking exceeding the gathering limit ordered under the Health Protection Act.

Currently, Nova Scotians cannot gather indoors or outdoors with anyone outside their household bubble.Households of two or less people can socialize with one or two others, but they must be the same people.

Police said the 10 people ticketed early Monday were not from the same household.

The fine for a first offence is $2,000, recently increasedfrom $1,000.

Including these 10,police ticketed 37 people for breaking the Health Protection Act over the weekend, amounting to a total of $74,000 in fines.