Waterloo police chief responds after weekend shootings on and off highway in Kitchener

A pair of shootings that occurred on and off the highway in Kitchener over the weekend prompted a letter from Waterloo Region’s top cop.

Police say the first shots were fired at around 4 p.m. on Saturday as two cars were headed south on Highway 85 between Lancaster and Guelph streets.

They say the suspect vehicle is a Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63 that had a stolen Ontario licence plate, but that had been seen earlier with Quebec plates. It was carrying at least two people inside.

The target vehicle was a 2016 four-door grey Honda Civic, police say.

Police allege that a shot was fired into the Honda from the Mercedes as the two cars sped down the highway.

They say the vehicles then travelled to Avalon Place in Kitchener where more shots were fired.

The Mercedes-Benz was last spotted near Barbara Crescent and Stirling Avenue South, heading towards Homer Watson Boulevard.

Police say a 23-year-old man was found in a wooded area near Avalon Place with serious injuries before paramedics transported him to hospital.

The shooting, one of six in the region over the past few weeks and the 12th of the year, prompted a letter to area residents from police chief Bryan Larkin.

He said three of the cases have been solved thus far.

“Several of these investigations are multi-jurisdictional with elements of organized crime and street gang involvement,” Larkin explained, noting that the area is now the second most violent among the 12 largest communities in the province.

“While this violence is disheartening and troubling, I can assure every resident of Waterloo Region — as your Chief of Police — that the members of WRPS are dedicated and working diligently — 24/7/365 — to provide professional police services that will contribute to the enhancement of the overall wellbeing of our community.”