Shooting update: No reason to suspect gang ties, police say
Authorities have found "no reason" to believe a shooting that injured a 46-year-old man in downtown Vancouver on Wednesday night is related to gangs.
Police found the victim after responding to reports of gunfire near Homer and West Pender streets around 7:50 p.m., and he was taken to hospital with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening.
The incident marked the second shooting in the city's downtown core in five days – but the Vancouver Police Department said Thursday that there is nothing linking the two incidents to one another.
"There is no reason to believe this incident is related to the B.C. gang conflict, nor is it connected to any other serious investigations going on in the city," Const. Tania Visintin said in a statement.
The previous shooting took place in broad daylight Saturday near Robson and Richards streets, where surveillance video captured two gunmen opening fire on a black vehicle at close range.
Police quickly suggested that incident was targeted, and said they were bracing for a potential "retaliatory incident" in the near future, following the pattern of similar gang violence in the region.
Authorities have not provided any further information on what happened Wednesday, or why they do not believe it is connected to the previous shooting. Visintin said investigators are still working to confirm "what transpired between the suspect and the victim."
No suspects have been arrested in connection with either shooting.
No humans were injured during the shooting last weekend, but police said two dogs that were inside the vehicle were injured.
The incident shocked bystanders in the downtown core, and sent some running for safety. An apparent bullet hole was seen in the window of a nearby Tim Hortons restaurant in the aftermath.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Sgt. Steve Addison said it was a "miracle that nobody was killed."
Anyone with information on either shooting is asked to call the Vancouver Police Department's Major Crime Section at 604-717-2541.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Penny Daflos and Kaija Jussinoja
§
Ehattesaht First Nation Chief Simon John says a highly orchestrated attempt to rescue a killer whale calf stranded in a Vancouver Island lagoon could happen as early as next week.
He says the clock is ticking to save the two-year-old orca calf which has been alone in the lagoon at Little Espinosa Inlet since March 23, when its pregnant mother became trapped on a rocky beach at low tide and died.
John says equipment for the planned rescue has started to arrive in the remote community of Zeballos, located more than 450 kilometres north of Victoria.
He says a large seine net more than 270 metres long arrived from Campbell River Thursday and is expected to be used to corral the young killer whale in a shallow area of the lagoon.
John says the rescue team is also expecting the Sunday arrival of a net pen similar to those used at B.C. salmon farms to house the young orca at a yet-to-be-determined ocean location.
He says earlier plans to use a helicopter to lift the killer whale calf out of the lagoon have been overtaken by the effort to place the young orca in a sling and move it from the lagoon to the net pen by a specially outfitted vehicle, landing craft or boat.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2024.
Source
