Attempted murder charges laid after Dartmouth home invasion

A violent home invasion that sent a 75-year-old man to hospitalhas resulted in attempted murder charges against two men.

Halifax Regional Police were called to a home on Bonita Drive in Dartmouth early Sunday morningfor a break and enter in progress.

Police say the victim was woken up by the commotion caused by two men who had allegedly entered his home and had brokenin to his firearm storage cabinet.

He confronted the pair and was hit over the headseveral times with one of his own rifles, causing severe facial injuries, say police.

The man was taken to hospital and underwent surgery for severe but non life-threatening injuries. He is still recovering in hospital.

The victim's wife was not injured.

Police say the suspects stole several firearms and ran away from the scene.

Monday morning, police saythey received an anonymous call from someone who told them where to find one of the stolen firearms.

Officers followed up the tip and found the firearm inside an apartment in the 2400-block of Gottingen Street. Further investigation led police to aBloomfield Street apartment where a man was arrested without incident.

Investigators with the General Investigation Section and the Guns and Gangs Unit collaborated on the investigation and later executed a warrant at that apartment, locating a loaded handgun stolen from the break and enter.

Investigators were then led to the 100-block of Lacewood Drive where a second suspect was seen carryingseveral firearms wrapped in a blanket. He was arrested without incident and the firearms were confirmed to have been stolen from the break and enter on Sunday.

A 20-year-old from Timberlea and a 22-year-old from Halifaxfacethe following charges:

• Attempted murder
• Aggravated assault
• Assault with a weapon
• Break and enter
• Break and enter to steal a firearm
• Robbery
• Robbery to steal a firearm
• Using a firearm in the commission of offence
• Several charges of possession of weapons dangerous
• Unauthorized possession of firearm
• Two charges for careless use,storage of a firearm
• Possession of prohibited/restricted firearm with ammunition
• Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
• Disguise with intent