By Vanessa Ybarra

Mayor Christian ‘deeply concerned’ over gunfire in Kamloops

Nov 5, 2017 | 11:25 AM

KAMLOOPS — Mayor Ken Christian is speaking out about the recent rash of shootings in the city.

“I’m very concerned as are most citizens,” said Christian. “That being said, I think police have done an admirable job in terms of ensuring the safety of first responders as well as the community safety issue.”

Christian says he spoke to Kamloops RCMP members Sunday morning who assured him they have adequate resources to handle the onslaught of gunfire in the city which includes calling in neighbouring detachments when required.

Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says the Kelowna Emergency Response Team was called in to assist in Saturday’s firearms incident at the Tournament Inn in Valleyview.

The Criminal Intelligence Unit, Serious Crime Unit, Target Enforcement Unit and Crime Reduction Unit continue to look for the suspect Sunday.

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“We have to make sure we take the time necessary to unravel and solve these crimes,” said Christian.

While concerning, he says the province’s opioid crisis plays a central role in the increased violence throughout the city, adding it isn’t solely reserved to Kamloops.

“You have to recognize in the context of British Columbia we’re in the middle of an opioid crisis and a lot of these crimes are fed by that particular industry so we have to make sure we as a province do everything we can to interrupt the drug trade.”

The city recently proposed a ‘Good Neighbour Bylaw’ that would give bylaw officers more power to go after owners and residence of problematic homes including drug operations.