Man in hospital after shooting in Prince George
Investigators appealing for witnesses in what they believe was targeted attack
RCMP officers were scouring a Prince George, B.C., neighbourhood Tuesday morning after a person was injured in an apparent targeted shooting.
911 dispatchers received a call of shots fired just after 8 a.m. PT.
When emergency services arrived at the Queensway Court Motel, at Queensway Street and 17th Avenue, they found a man with apparent gunshot wounds.
No other details have been released about the victim, who was taken to hospital.
The suspect or suspects fled on foot.
"This does appear to be a targeted attack," said Cpl. Craig Douglass, who added that police are seeking witnesses to the attack.
The RCMP's Major Crime Unit is now leading the investigation, Douglass said. Officers remained in the area Tuesday morning while an RCMP helicopter surveyed the scene from the air.
Area 'known to police'
Douglass said it's too early in the investigation to say what the motive for the shooting was.
The City of Prince George has been grappling with absentee landlords and nuisance properties in the area for a while, and has responded to numerous calls including assault, weapon and drugs complaints.
"Over the past few years certainly, we've had an increased amount of calls to this particular address," said Douglass of the motel.
In February, council approved bylaw changes that require problematic properties to be held responsible for using up city resources.
"People in the community are tired of subsidizing this bad behaviour," Coun. Brian Skakun said.
"It's not just about covering costs, it's also about having a deterrent out there for people to clean up their act."
Despite the increase in police calls, the city has not deemed the motel a nuisance property since the new bylaw came into effect.
With files from Audrey McKinnon.
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