Chief says Eskasoni man injured in shooting

The chief of Eskasoni First Nationsays a local manhas been wounded in a shooting that locked down the community Monday morning.

Eskasoni RCMP responded to a call of a shooting around 10:25 p.m. Sundayat a home on Mountainview Drivein the Cape Breton Mi'kmaw community, according to a release.

A 53-year-old man was wounded and taken to hospitalafter someone shot him through a window, police said. Hesuffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Eskasoni Chief Leroy Denny lives just eight houses away from the shooting scene, and said he was one of the first people to arrive. He drove the injured man to a nearby ambulance station.

Denny said the victim is Leonard Denny, a family memberand the CEO of the local Crane Cove Seafoods.

About two hours later, the RCMP responded to a second report of shots fired in the community. They were initially concerned that the two incidents were connected, and residents were asked to stay in their homeswith doors locked.

But police found no evidence of this second incident. Just before 8 a.m.,RCMP tweeted that they believe this was an isolated shooting.

Spokesperson Cpl. Mark Skinner saidthere was"no longer a risk to the public," and people could now leave their homes.

Chief Denny posted on socialmedia early Monday morningthat the shooting happened on Mountainview Drive, and people should stay away from that area. This information also went out via the community's Everbridge alert system.

Denny also said that, "for precautionary reasons," all businesses under the umbrella of the band would be closed on Monday.

This includes all schools, the band office, health centre, Crane Cove Seafoods,and fitness centre.

There was a heavy police presence in the area throughout the day on Monday, including police dog services andforensic identification.

Police are continuingto search for the suspect, and do not believe that this was a random incident.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to immediately contact police at (902) 379-2822. Anonymous tips can also be made toNova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), crimestoppers.ns.ca, or theP3 Tips App.