Police arrest third suspect in April 13 fatal shooting in Amherst, Nova Scotia

A third suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal April 13 shooting in Amherst, police said. The suspect identified as Michael James Ryan, 34, of Springhill, Nova Scotia, was taken into custody in Moncton on April 23 by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Major Crime Unit with assistance from the RCMP Emergency Response Team and Codiac RCMP, according to a news release from the Amherst Police Department.

He is expected to appear in court on April 24. Authorities said warrants had been issued on April 16 for three suspects believed responsible for the death of Chris Leggett, 41, who was fatally shot in Amherst. Later that same day, two other suspects, Sean Eugene Patriquin, 56, and Natasha Deborah Austin, 42, were arrested in Moncton by Codiac RCMP and remain in custody, with a court appearance scheduled for May 6, 2026, the news release stated.

According to police, officers responded at approximately 6:51 p.m. on April 13 to a report of a loud bang on Prince Arthur Street and found an adult male suffering from a single gunshot wound to the lower back. Despite life-saving efforts, he was transported to a hospital and later pronounced dead.


Investigators said those responsible fled in a dark-coloured Subaru SUV, which has since been seized by Codiac RCMP and turned over to Amherst police; the license plate on the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the month from the Moncton area.


ALSO READ: Quote of the Day by Isaac Newton: Plato is my friend, Aristotle is my friend, but my greatest friend is…’


The Amherst Police Department activated its Combined Municipal Police Major Crime Unit Agreement following the shooting and has been working with the Truro Police Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Cumberland Integrated Street Crime Unit, the RCMP Forensic Identification Unit, Cumberland RCMP, J Division RCMP, and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner’s Office. The investigation is ongoing.