Shawn Wade Hynes is facing a fresh charge in connection with the Sept. 19 nail-gun shooting at a work site in Abercrombie.
Pictou County RCMP have charged Hynes with a count of assault with a weapon causing bodily harm in addition to the September charge of criminal negligence.
Hynes was first arrested on Sept. 27, nearly ten days after allegedly shooting Nhlanhla Dlamini in the back with an air powered nail gun.
Dlamini, who is of African descent, says that the shooting came after weeks of racially charged harassment by Hynes. Hynes has not been charged with a hate crime however.
The plea hearing was set for the morning March 11, however the new charges appeared to take Hyne's defence attorney by surprise and court is expected to revisit the matter again this afternoon.
Updates to come.