Police use taser on ‘highly agitated’ man with weapon during arrest

CITYnews halifax / By Natasha O’Neill

RCMP from the Halifax detachment charged a man with multiple offences after a disturbance call in Beaver Bank, just north of the provincial capital.

According to police, on Sept. 26 at around 8:15 p.m. RCMP responded to a report of an unwanted person outside a home on Sherri Lane. Once on scene, officers confirmed the man was in breach of court conditions. Police told the man he was under arrest, but he went inside his nearby home and grabbed a bat to threaten the officers.

According to the press release, the suspect was “highly agitated” and officials made “several attempts” to arrest him including deploying their conducted energy weapons.

The man and two officers sustained minor injuries during the incident and all three were treated and released by paramedics.

As a result of the altercation, Shawn Michael Deschenes, 51, of Beaver Bank was charged with several offences:

• Assaulting a peace officer (two counts)
• Assaulting a peace officer with a weapon (three counts)
• Uttering threats
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
• Resist arrest
• Mischief
• Criminal harassment
• Causing disturbance (two counts)
• Failure to comply with a release order (two counts)

He appeared in the Dartmouth Provincial Court on Sept. 27 and will remain in custody until he returns to court Oct. 1.