One man was taken to hospital following a reported shooting in the village of Omemee on Tuesday afternoon
City of Kawartha Lakes OPP responded to 36 King Street East around 1:15 p.m. where they reportedly found an injured man outside an apartment building across from the Foodland grocery store.
Police say the man was taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries.
A woman – who did not give her name – claims she lives in the apartment and heard a commotion. She claims she knows the male victim who “just got out of high school.”
“I heard a bunch of banging going on – I thought it was neighbours fighting but apparently two kids got thrown down the stairs,” she told Global News. “Two pictures fell off my wall from the banging.”
She said she saw two young males running out the building and then across Highway 7 and got into a car and left the scene.
Another witnesses tells Global News the victim was covered in blood as he was being taken out of the apartment by paramedics who was performing CPR.
“He didn’t look good,” said the longtime Omemee resident. “They put him in the ambulance and headed towards Peterborough.”
OPP tells Global News that they are looking for two suspects. No other details have been provided.
“Officers are currently patrolling the area although we don’t believe there is a threat to the Omemee area at this time,” said Const. Carrie Lanning.
Nearby Lady Eaton Elementary School and Scott Young Public School were for the second time that day placed under hold and secure around 1:40 p.m. The hold and secure – which involves locking exterior doors while classroom routines and lessons continue – was lifted around 2:45 p.m.
The schools were initially placed under hold and secure from 8:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. following reports of gunshots in the area. However, OPP said those claims from students in the morning were unsubstantiated.
“The occurrence is a police matter and details cannot be released at this time,” stated Sinead Fegan, communications officer with the Trillium Lakelands District School Board.
Global News has requested more details from OPP.
A short time later OPP stopped a vehicle along an exit ramp along Taunton Road and Highway 115/35. It’s not known yet if it is connected to the Omemee incident.
More to come.
-With files from Jessica Nyznik Global News Peterborough