Man accused in emergency room stabbing in Halifax chooses trial by judge and jury

A man charged with stabbing two hospital employees in Halifax earlier this year has chosen to have his trial heard by a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge and jury.

Nicholas Robert Coulombe appeared Monday in provincial court in Halifax, where he was told to return for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 28 and Jan. 30, 2026.

On Jan. 29 of this year, four people were allegedly attacked by a patient inside the Halifax Infirmary’s emergency department.

At the time, the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union said two of its members were injured, with one requiring inpatient care and the other having less serious injuries.

Coulombe was arrested at the scene and charged with one count of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of assault with a weapon, and two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon.

According to police, the weapon used in three of the alleged confrontations was a knife, but a police document says the fourth victim was struck by a “plastic rat.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2025.