St. John's man faces 28 drugs and weapons charges following incident in Cowan Heights

A St. John's man is facing 28 charges related to alleged drug trafficking and weapons offences following an incident in the Cowan Heights area of St. John's on Tuesday.

The RCMP told CBC News the man was arrested while trying to flee police at a gas station on Frecker Drive. Police say they used a "pepper ball" — a projectile that bursts into a cloud of pepper spray — to stop the man.

Shanda McCarthy, who was inside the gas station with her three-year-old son at the time of the incident, told CBC News she saw a kind of smoke from the ball in front of the window, and that police had told her to stay inside.

She also said she heard the bangs of a gun, but police acted quickly to keep people calm.

The man appeared in court on Wednesday to face a long list of charges related to drug trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, oxycodone and methylphenidate along with weapons offences and breach of court orders

The RCMP said a number of firearms, including prohibited firearms and ammunition, were seized along with quantity of cash.

Police say the investigation is continuing and couldn't provide further details.

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