One man has been arrested following a shootout and lengthy police incident in Kamloops, that put an elementary school and trailer park under lockdown and caused significant traffic congestion Friday.
Police said 35-year-old man was arrested without incident at around 4 a.m. Saturday morning at the G&M Mobile Trailer Park, 16 hours after police received initial reports of an assault on the North Shore.
“This was the resolution we were seeking – and although negotiations do take time, the end outcome is worth it,” Cpl. Jodi Shelkie said in a statement Saturday.
RCMP confirmed Kelowna’s tactical members were called into assist Friday night.
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Highway 5 was shut down in both directions at Mt. Paul Way and Valleyview exchange. Motorists were also advised to avoid this area.
Police were directing residents in the area to remain indoors as they looked for the man, who was previously known to police.
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I heard ‘pop, pop, pop’, witness says
Police said upon responding to reports of an assault on the North Shore, an altercation police took place at the suspect’s residence, before he fled the scene with a weapon.
Bert Edwards Science and Technology School was placed on lock down.
There was an exchange of gun fire with police before the suspect made his way to G&M Trailer Park, police confirmed.
Chris Brown, a witness nearby and Varsteel Ltd. warehouse worker, told Black Press Media that he was on his lunch break when gunfire erupted at the intersection near his workplace on Chilcotin Road and Athabasca Street.
First he heard the screech of tires – a common occurrence at the intersection, he said.
“But there was a bang after that so we got up to go look, there was police everywhere and a truck there and then there was just pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,” he said. The outside of the warehouse was hit with a bullet.
“We ran back to the lunchroom and then the cops took off after a guy in a green truck.”
Smith said several workers at a construction site across the street were outside at the time.
Police said they don’t believe anyone was injured during the events which played out across parts of Kamloops.
Students of Skelep School
Parents of children attending the Skelep School on the Kamloops Indian Band Reserve near the trailer park were told not to go to the school to pick up their children Friday afternoon.
Instead the students were bussed down Shuswap Road to the Lafarge Bridge, where parents could pick them up on the north side.
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With files from Kamloops this Week
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