The Portland Hotel Society has no plans to step up security in the wake of a Tuesday incident involving the firing of a pellet gun from its Johnson Street facility, shots that struck a vehicle and left a woman injured.
Andy Bond, senior director of housing for the Vancouver-based society that runs the facility at 844 Johnson St., said they share the concerns of the community over the incident.
“It’s really senseless and tragic, but it’s just an unfortunate thing that happened and happens across the country,” he said, adding there isn’t much more the society can do to mitigate such incidents.
“As long as people have windows, we’re limited in security … We’re working with police to have (the incident) addressed.”
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On Tuesday, VicPD arrived on scene at about 3:10 p.m, after the woman called 911 to report that a window in her vehicle had been “blown out.”
Police locked down the block, closing it off to traffic shortly afterward and commenced their investigation.
Evidence consistent with a pellet gun having been fired was discovered on scene. Officers ultimately pinpointed a suite in the building at 844 Johnson St., from which they believed the pellets were fired. After a brief negotiation with a man inside, he was taken into custody.
The man had been living at the facility for some time, but had not caused any problems prior to the incident, said Bond, adding weapons are not allowed in the facility.
The woman was treated on scene for non-life-threatening injuries and the block was closed to traffic for about an hour.
VicPD ask anyone with new information about the incident to call 250-995-7654, or do so anonymously to Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477.
