N.S. RCMP won’t charge 2 of 4 youths arrested for sex assault after hockey hazing

The N.S. RCMP says two of the youths arrested in connection with a hockey hazing investigation in Colchester County won’t be charged.

The RCMP says two of the youths arrested for sexual assault in connection with a hockey hazing investigation in Nova Scotia’s Colchester County won’t be charged.

Police arrested a total of four youths in connection with the investigation, which involves members of a boys’ hockey team in the Truro area.

“Based on the investigation, we won’t be moving forward with charges against two of four youths arrested,” said Staff Sgt. Marc Rose, district commander for the Colchester County District RCMP in a news release Friday.

Rose told CTV News Atlantic in a phone interview that, after conducting interviews and reviewing all the evidence, investigators believe “the evidence did not meet the criminal threshold to lay charges in court against those two individuals.”

Rose also said police don’t expect to make additional arrests at this time, though the investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, investigators believe there may be other victims who have not yet come forward.

“We want anyone who’s been a victim of assault under the guise of team initiation or bonding to know they’ll be heard and supported,” said Rose. “Our investigators use a trauma-informed approach, and you can speak with police at any time without needing to immediately decide whether to participate in the full investigative or court process.”

Police are asking anyone with information that could assist in their investigation to contact the Colchester County District RCMP at 902-893-6820. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Two teens formally charged

The RCMP previously said a youth went to the Bible Hill detachment with a parent on Jan. 30 and reported that an assault had taken place during a private team gathering in October 2025.

Police launched an investigation, which they said included statements from multiple witnesses. Investigators allege hazing incidents involving other victims and witnesses also happened at other locations.

The investigation led police to arrest the four youths for sexual assault earlier this month.

The other two teens were formally charged in court on Tuesday.

According to court documents, both youths were 14 at the time of the alleged offences and have since turned 15.

The first accused has been charged with three criminal offences involving alleged attacks on three victims on Oct. 3, somewhere in Colchester County.

The charges include two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault with a weapon, described in the documents as a mini hockey stick.

The second youth has been charged with the same offences related to the alleged incident on Oct. 3. They have also been charged with assault with a weapon — described as urine — following an alleged attack on one of the three victims between Oct. 1, 2025, and Dec. 30, 2025, in the Truro area.

Both 15-year-olds are due to appear in provincial youth court in Truro on April 14. Their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

They have been ordered not to contact three people, and both are prohibited from entering a public dressing room unless they are with an adult.

Team suspended

Hockey Nova Scotia previously said it learned on Jan. 30 about a “maltreatment allegation” involving a minor and it reported the allegation to the RCMP and Hockey Canada’s Independent Third Party.

The organization said the team has been suspended while the investigation is ongoing.

The team has not been named.

RELATED STORIES:

• Two youths formally charged with sexual assault in Nova Scotia after hockey hazing
• Fourth youth arrested for sexual assault after alleged hazing involving N.S. hockey team
• What we know about the arrests of 3 N.S. youths in hockey sexual assault investigation

With files from The Canadian Press

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