A neighbour of the Vernon, B.C., man who was fatally shot outside of a quiet townhouse complex Friday is still in shock from the violence that occurred mere steps from her doorstep.
“You know, it takes a while for your brain to catch up to what you’re seeing and what you’re hearing and it’s still kind of surreal that here we are in, you know, a supposedly a quiet neighbourhood and this stuff is going on,” the woman, who asked that her identity be withheld, said.
The woman didn’t have much information about the 38-year-old man who was killed. He had moved into the townhouse complex only a couple of months earlier and she hadn’t met him yet. They’d said hello in passing and nothing more.
She also didn’t see how he was killed. She was in her home and only went outside after hearing shots and that’s when she saw paramedics and police were dealing with him between her car and his.
“It was still a very chaotic scene at that point in time. So I just kind of turned around and walked back inside,” she said.
Days later, she’s taking solace in the fact that RCMP have said it’s believed to be a targeted shooting. She also thinks that Vernon is still mostly a safe place to be.
“Just don’t be too freaked out because stuff happens and we can’t really control that,” she said.
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The RCMP Serious Crimes Unit is now investigating and, on Monday, police released a few additional details about the incident.
Police confirmed the victim is believed to be a resident of the townhouse complex and was shot in a parking lot of the development.
“This is definitely a brazen act, and in this act it puts the public at risk,” said Cst. Chris Terleski, a spokesperson for the Vernon RCMP.
“It was a targeted event. Thankfully no one was injured.”
Officers originally responded to a report of shots fired at a residential building in the 5300-block of 25 Ave. and found a man, 38, suffering from gunshot wounds.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
No other injuries were reported in connection with the shooting and police believe there isn’t an ongoing threat to public safety.
Officers are still working to determine how the shooter might have left the area and no arrests have been made, Terleski said on Monday.
Asked if police had recovered a weapon in connection with the shooting, Terleski said some details of the investigation are not being made public to protect the integrity of the investigation.
RCMP ask anyone who may have witnessed the incident or may have video footage of the area to contact them at 250-545-7171.
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