Gang trial reveals alleged murder plot against B.C. crime reporter Kim Bolan

In early May, Vancouver Sun's crime reporter Kim Bolan found herself the subject of her own story.

While covering the murder trial of a member of the United Nations  — a notorious B.C.-based gang — a Crown witness, referred as "C," revealed the gang's leader had plotted to kill Bolan.

Bolan says police warned her in April that she was a target but gave very little information.

"I didn't know all the details. I didn't know when it would come out exactly so it was still quite unnerving to be sitting in court and hearing this come up in the evidence," she tells The Current's guest host Duncan McCue.

As a reporter, you want all the details — whether you're writing the story, whether you're involved in the story.- Kim Bolan

Bolan says it was chilling to hear gang members had gotten hold of her land title and scouted her street in 2011. But she points out, it's also quite ironic.   

"These are the tricks that investigative journalists use, including myself, to look at other people who are in our news stories, whether they be criminals or politicians or whatever," she explains.

Details were vague throughout the trial, leaving Bolan wanting to ask her own questions.

"As a reporter, you want all the details — whether you're writing the story, whether you're involved in the story, as I was in this case, so you know it was a bit frustrating."

Related: Murder plot against reporter Kim Bolan revealed at UN gang trial

Since 2008, Bolan has been looking into the United Nations gang and tells McCue she figures the gang saw her as "a bit of a thorn in their side."

"I also have this blog that I started right back at that time that, you know, became the place where people involved in the criminal underworld would go to post comments, to read stories to check out what rivals were saying."

Bolan says a Crown witness called "C" mentioned he went on the blog to post false information, hoping to throw her off and the police as well.

There have been other threats in Bolan's long career but she refuses to back down from reporting crime stories.

"I've always sort of vowed to continue," she says.

"I don't want other journalists to have to be threatened because it's become a successful tactic for the people that want to silence us."

Listen to the full story at the top of this web post.

This segment was produced by The Current's Lara O'Brien.