London police confirm incidents where guns are being discharged more common
With crime statistics, perception isn’t always reality. A small cluster of incidents, in a short time, can make it seem like there’s a larger problem.
But when it comes to gun use in London this year, that’s not the case.
“For 2021, certainly the numbers are trending higher than we’ve seen the past five years or so,” says London Police Service Det.-Sup. Paul Bastien.
He says that as of August, there had been 23 incidents where guns had been discharged and there have been three other incidents to this point in September.
“The fact is, the majority of the shootings that we investigate are not random. Many of them are targeted.”
The most recent shooting incident happened on Thurman Circle around 3 a.m. Saturday. A bullet sliced through a garage door of a home and slammed into a nearby wall.
Those close to the incident, who don’t want to be identified, say two post-secondary students were in the garage pumping up an air mattress at the time and were narrowly missed. They insist neither the house nor the students were targets.
One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, says it’s known there are people who carry guns in the area but other residents won’t say anything because they don’t want to put themselves at risk.
“You don’t stick your nose in. You just keep your nose down and hope it doesn’t happen to you.”
Two recent fatalities have highlighted the concerns over gun violence; the Sept. 10 shooting death of 30-year-old Lynda Marques in a north London neighbourhood and the killing of 18-year-old Josue Silva, who was attending a field party in south London at the end of July.
Bastien says it’s important for people to understand that gun violence is still very rare.
“The thought of a random gunman out there shooting up random neighbourhoods is certainly frightening. That’s not the case here.”
Still, Bastien says it’s important that whenever someone has information about another person unlawfully carrying a firearm, they let police know, to ensure other lives aren’t lost.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.