Increase in daytime violence ‘disturbing’, says Halifax councillor

A rise in gun violence in Halifax is causing concern for city officials.

At a recent meeting of the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners, police chief Dan Kinsella said the increase in violence is keeping him up at night. 

Speaking to CityNews 95.7, the councillor and police board chair Lindell Smith, talked about why we're seeing more crime. 

“As we grow as a city and continue to see housing prices rise, inflation and no increase to social services, unfortunately an aspect of that is folks doing more crime,” Smith.  

Smith also says there is a disturbing trend with an increase in daytime crimes, in places such as bus terminals and walking trails. That includes a trio of daytime robberies in the Fairview and Clayton Park neighbourhoods, and an early-evening shooting near the Halifax Common.

“We're seeing a lot of this happen in places we're not used to,” said Smith. “It's definitely disturbing, for sure.”

There have been 13 shootings already this year and police have also seized 163 illegal guns.