Third day of searching for Nova Scotia man accused of stabbing officer, police dog

BRIDGEWATER, N.S. — RCMP say they continue to get reports of sightings of Tobias Charles Doucette, the fugitive accused of stabbing a police sergeant, assaulting a woman and injuring a police dog, as the manhunt for him enters its third day.

Police spokeswoman Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said Thursday none of the sightings have been substantiated.

Doucette has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly struck an officer in the neck with an edged weapon when police responded to a domestic violence call Monday night at a hotel in Bridgewater, N.S.

The suspect, who is in his 30s and from Cape Breton, was briefly spotted by an RCMP dog and handler Tuesday, but police said he escaped into nearby woods after stabbing the dog with a stick in Conquerall Bank, N.S.

Although the operation is being lead by the RCMP, police in Bridgewater said in a news release Thursday the search is being concentrated in an area south of the town, located on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.

Bridgewater police said they were continuing a criminal investigation into the incident that took place at the hotel. The force said its injured officer — Sgt. Matthew Bennett — was recovering in hospital and was in stable condition.

“Out of respect for the privacy of Sgt. Bennett and his family, we will be providing no additional updates at this time,” Bridgewater police said.

The woman described as the suspect’s common-law partner was treated for minor injuries sustained in Monday’s incident.

The condition of the injured police dog was described as stable.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2020.

The Canadian Press