Shooting in Kelowna that sent 2 men to hospital was targeted, say police
Police say they’ve found an explosive device at the scene of a double shooting that happened in Kelowna on Saturday evening.
Kelowna RCMP have also released the name of one of the shooting victims, and allege that his criminal ties make him a threat to the community.
First responders were called to the scene just before 7 p.m. and found two men with gunshot wounds. They were both rushed to hospital, and RCMP say they believe the incident was targeted.
In their investigation, police say they found an explosive. They were still at the scene on Sunday at noon.
“Frontline officers located what is believed to be an undetonated improvised explosive device,” said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy in a statement. “Police immediately cordoned off the area. It will remain closed until officers with the RCMP Explosives Disposal Unit have safely dealt with the device.”
The incident happened in a busy commercial area near Pandosy Street and KLO Road.
Video taken by an onlooker after the incident shows paramedics working behind yellow tape. Emergency responders can be seen wheeling a man with short hair on a gurney towards a waiting ambulance.
One victim, a 25-year-old Surrey man, was still in hospital as of Sunday midday, and police say his injuries are life-threatening.
The other victim, 37-year-old West Kelowna resident Kyle Gianis, was treated for non-life threatening injuries and has been released from the hospital, say RCMP.
B.C. court documents show that a man named Kyle Alexander Gianis, born in 1983, has a criminal record dating back to 2005. U.S. court documents also show that he was sentenced to 13 years in prison south of the border after an American jury found him guilty of drug smuggling.
Kelowna RCMP allege that Gianis’ criminal ties make him a threat to the community.
“We have reason to believe this was a targeted attack on these two men,” said Insp. Beth McAndie of the Kelowna RCMP in a statement.
“Because of his criminal activities and associates, Mr. Gianis poses a threat to our community and the public in general, and we are putting all our resources into investigating this newest incident.”
According to police, witnesses reported a man fleeing the scene in a silver SUV. No arrests have been made at this time.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 or call Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.