A shooting in Kamloops on Monday is now being linked to the drug trade, according to RCMP.
Police responded to two separate incidents involving gun fire; the first just before 11 a.m. at a residence on Salish Road after a person shot through a window of a home, and the second about 1:15 p.m. at the intersection of Summit Drive and McGill Road.
RELATED: No suspects in custody for shooting in Kamloops
There was no injuries in the first incident; however officers believe the suspects were driving a black truck.
Cpl. Jodi Shelkie confirmed a second shooting occurred between two vehicles near Thompson Rivers University, both vehicles immediately fled the scene after shots were fired.
Officers flooded the area looking for a suspect vehicle described as a black Cadillac Escalade truck with an Alberta licence plate.
“With assistance from the public, both vehicles involved in the McGill area shooting have been located, seized and are in police custody,” stated Shelkie.
The suspect vehicle was abandoned in the Pemberton Terrace area of Kamloops, and the attached Alberta license plate was not actually registered to the vehicle.
“The alleged suspect’s vehicle is a 2007 black Cadillac Escalade which was reported stolen from Vernon on May 19. There is reason to believe that the suspect or suspects involved in this shooting have had this vehicle in the Kamloops area since late May,” said Staff Sgt. Simon Pillay. “For this reason, we are releasing a picture of the truck and asking that anyone with information about who is known to have possession of this vehicle contact the police.”
RCMP have now learned a 56-year-old Kamloops resident was injured in the McGill incident.
The victim was shot several times and required surgery but is expected to survive.
A passenger in the victim’s vehicle from the shooting on Summit Drive is described as a young person who was unhurt in the incident and from a city of residence police are not releasing at this time.
Both occupants of the victim’s vehicle are associated to the Kamloops drug trade, according to Shelkie.
“Although the two shootings are not confirmed to be connected, given the similarity in suspect vehicles involved, the public’s assistance is being sought for both cases,” she stated.
Kamloops RCMP is asking anyone who saw the initial incident on McGill and Summit or who has any information about these incidents to contact the RCMP at 250-828-3000.
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