One man is in police custody after shots were fired at a vehicle in Campbell River.
Police were called to a rural property west of the city centre at around dinnertime Sunday.
Officers responded to an initial report of an active shooting situation stemming from a domestic dispute.
According to Const. Maury Tyre, by the time police arrived, all parties had separated.
“They were able to determine that an argument had led to a physical altercation which followed with a man in his 40s taking several shots in the direction of another man’s vehicle as he drove away,” Tyre said.
“Nobody had received any firearms-related injuries and the truck had sustained minor damage.”
Because of the distance from town and the size of the property, the suspect had managed to leave the area despite what Tyre describes as a “high-speed police response.”
An officer was able to speak to the suspect by phone and he agreed to turn himself into police, which occurred without incident.
Tyre said there is always an inherent risk with gun-related calls, “especially when there is a multitude of unknowns in regards to property, people and location.”
“In this case, we as a community were very lucky that nobody was seriously injured,” he added.
“The caring and professional response by the police and the assistance of community members ensured that the situation did not escalate and could be brought to a conclusion very quickly.”
Tyre added that members of Campbell River RCMP’s Forensic Identification Unit and General Investigation Unit continued to work on the file throughout yesterday (Feb. 22nd) to ensure that similar events do not occur at the location in the future.
The suspect remains in custody pending an initial court appearance for gun-related charges.
If you wish to report a crime or suspicious occurrence, you’re asked to call the Campbell River RCMP at 250-286-6221, or in an emergency call 911.
