The Kelowna RCMP is now calling the shooting death of a man on Sunday, Aug. 30, a homicide.
A man arrived at Kelowna General Hospital with a body in his vehicle around noon on Sunday, prompting heavy police response to the area. The driver was treated for non-life-threatening injuries sustained from a gunshot wound.
The deceased has now been identified as 34-year-old Cory Allan Patterson, of Kelowna. The Kelowna RCMP Serious Crime Unit has now taken conduct of the investigation and is releasing Patterson’s identity in hopes it will result in new leads.
The RCMP’s initial investigation determined that the incident had happened while the two men were driving in the McCulloch Road area of Kelowna. Investigators believe the shooter fled the area in a light-coloured vehicle.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 1, officers were still around McCulloch Road speaking to residents and witnesses and have located evidence to support that the incident happened in the area.
“This incident happened on our streets during the middle of the day,” said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy. “Such a reckless and violent incident put everyone in the area at great risk. We are doing everything in our power to identify the person or persons and we are appealing to witnesses to come forward and speak with us.”
The RCMP has confirmed the incident is not related to last week’s targeted shooting at the Ramada Hotel on Aug. 26.
Two men, suspected to be staying at the hotel, were targeted in the parking lot by Mickie’s Pub by a single shooter; however, neither victim sustained injuries from the gunfire.
The suspect fled the area in a black car and is still at large.
She also confirmed that neither of the shootings that took place over the last week was connected to the unsolved March 25 fatal shooting on Trumpeter Court.
Back in March, gunshots rang out about midnight in the Upper Mission area, and when police arrived on scene they discovered a man dead inside a vehicle near a home at the end of the court.
The gunmen from all three incidents remain at large.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the Kelowna RCMP or remain completely anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or by leaving a tip online at crimestoppers.net.
READ MORE: Upper Mission, Ramada shootings unrelated to recent gun death in Kelowna
READ MORE: One dead, another injured following a shooting in Kelowna
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