Africville Road reopened as shooting death probe continues

Africville Road in Halifax's north end has been reopened as the investigation continues into the death of Matthew Thomas Sudds, whose body was found near Africville Park earlier this week.

Halifax Regional Police released the scene at approximately 10 p.m. on Tuesday, several hours after a Halifax Regional Search and Rescue group was brought in to comb the area and search for evidence.

Sudds was found in a ditch on Africville Road, halfway between the Africville Museum and the Fairview Cove container terminal, by a passerby just after noon on Monday.

An autopsy confirmed the 24-year-old had been shot to death, but police refused to say where he was shot or how many times.

"There have been no arrests to this point and we are actively investigating. We're very much in the preliminary stages of the investigation," said Theresa Rath, a spokeswoman for Halifax Regional Police.

Rath said police are investigating all possibilies, including criminal history, as they look into the case.

"Right now we're very much focused on finding out where Mr. Sudds was between Thursday night when he was last seen and yesterday when his body was found," Rath said Tuesday.

"We're asking anyone, we're imploring them, to please come forward with that information to help us piece together what may have happened to him."

In 2012, Sudds was on the most-wanted list for the Halifax Regional Police, for assault and failing to comply with conditions. He was arrested in May 2012 by the Bridgewater Police Service and was scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 1 to face charges of possessing a weapon.

Sudds also had another court appearance scheduled in January 2014 to deal with two charges of assault.