Two arrested, one injured after weekend shooting in Nanaimo, B.C.

Police in Nanaimo, B.C., have arrested two suspects after a weekend shooting at a “derelict residence” in the southern part of the city.

Mounties said they responded to reports of shots fired at the house at Nicol and Needham streets around 1 p.m. on Sunday, but found no one at the home.

“The residence is known to be used by persons who are marginalized and involved in the Nanaimo drug culture,” reads a news release from Nanaimo RCMP on Tuesday.

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About 20 minutes after officers arrived on the scene, it adds, a man arrived at the local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries believed to have been caused by a gunshot. He was treated and released.

RCMP later arrested a man and a woman, both of whom were known to police, as they drove southbound along Nicol Street.

They were released from custody while the investigation continues, say police, but the vehicle was seized.

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Investigators believe the incident was “targeted” and “isolated,” as the individuals who have been identified so far appear to know each other.

“The use of firearms however, and the blatant disregard for the safety of individuals in our community is troubling, and can be attributed to the drug culture in Nanaimo and the violence associated with it,” said Const. Gary O’Brien in the release.

Anyone with more information on the incident is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and reference the file number 2021-38031.