2 charged after man lit on fire in central Halifax

Two men have been charged with assault and weapons offences after a man was sprayed with ignitable fluid and lit on fire Monday night outside the Salvation Army building in central Halifax.

Halifax police were called to 2044 Gottingen St. at around 8:30 p.m. AT after a 47-year-old man suffered minor injuries when the fluid was ignited. He was taken to hospital and is expected to recover, police said in a news release.

Another man who was nearby was sprayed with a sensory irritant.

A short time later, police arrested two men, one of whom had a knife:

• A 29-year-old has been charged with attempted aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
• A 27-year-old has been charged with assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

During the investigation, police learnedthe 47-year-old was not the intended victim. Police said the original disturbance involved the two accused, who are known to each other.

Both remained in police custody overnight and were expected to appear in Halifax provincial court Tuesday.

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