In a chilling incident that has left Dartmouth residents shaken, multiple gunshots rang out Monday night, leading to the city's latest homicide. Witnesses reported hearing four to six shots around 9 p.m. in the Montebello subdivision, prompting swift action from the Halifax Regional Police.

Authorities arrived at Ancona Place to find a 37-year-old man, identified as Cortrell Thomas, who had succumbed to his injuries on the scene. Police believe this act of violence was not random, raising concerns about safety in the neighborhood.

Neighbors described the harrowing moments following the gunfire. One resident recalled initially mistaking the sounds for fireworks but quickly realized the grim reality. 'I crouched on the floor, too scared to look outside,' they recounted.

Another neighbor, who witnessed the aftermath, reported seeing Thomas motionless on the front steps of a house. With fear gripping the community, police are now hunting for two suspects believed to have fled the scene through the nearby PO2 Craig Blake Memorial Park. Eyewitness Haley Duchaine noted that she saw two men dressed in grey hooded sweatshirts and dark pants silently escaping the scene.

As Halifax grapples with this recent spike in gun violence, police have reached out for assistance from the public. They are urging anyone with video footage from areas nearby, including Capistrano Drive, Appian Way, and Casavechia Court, to come forward and help with the investigation.

This shooting comes on the heels of another violent incident in Halifax earlier this year, marking a worrying trend. On March 27, one man was seriously injured in a shooting near the Armdale Rotary. Just days prior, on March 24, a late-night shooting on Ruben Court in Dartmouth left three people injured.

Community leaders have voiced their frustrations over the violence. Councillor Tony Mancini, whose district encompasses both Ancona Place and Ruben Court, expressed deep sadness over the incident. He has committed to addressing the growing concerns at the upcoming Board of Police Commission meeting.

Local resident Ghislain Desainde expressed his dismay at the crime occurring in what was once considered a safe neighborhood. 'We were just talking about how great it is here,' he lamented. Similarly, Duchaine echoed the sentiment, mentioning the discomfort of violent crime infiltrating a place where families raise their children.

As the investigation continues and fear looms large, residents are left to ponder the implications of this unsettling trend in their once-peaceful community. The police's prompt response may provide some solace, but it does little to quell the rising anxiety of those who call Dartmouth home.