VPD steps up patrols following recent shootings, deaths
Posted April 4, 2024 2:16 pm.
Last Updated April 4, 2024 7:12 pm.
You may notice more police officers around parts of Vancouver, with the VPD saying it is increasing its patrols and upping visibility after several incidents.
As of Wednesday night, there had been four major police incidents in almost as many days.
Listen to CityNews 1130 LIVE now!On Saturday morning, a woman died from unknown injuries in East Vancouver, prompting investigators to put out an appeal for information.
That same day, a shooting rang out just before 6 p.m. in a busy around downtown near Richards and Robson streets, leaving two dogs hurt but no other reported injuries.
Then, on Wednesday, the discovery of a body in the Fraserview neighbourhood prompted a homicide investigation, with few details released.
Later that evening, another shooting would take place downtown, this time near Homer and West Pender streets, leaving a 46-year-old man hurt.
These cases have left many in the city feeling on edge — something the VPD says it’s well aware of.
“To ignore … the fact that the public is feeling like that would be a bit silly on our end. Of course, these are all very concerning incidents, and the fact that they happened so close together, it’s obviously unnerving for residents in all neighborhoods in Vancouver,” Const. Tania Visintin told CityNews Thursday.
“What I can say, and I hope it brings some comfort to the public, is that they aren’t connected. We don’t have one person, for example, responsible for everything, and that person is on the loose. It’s not like that at all. These are all separate incidents that are being investigated by our Major Crime Section, and we don’t feel that the public is at risk for the incident that happened last night or the incident that happened in south Vancouver, in the Killarney neighborhoods. These are all isolated incidents that are being handled by our top detectives.”
Visintin says VPD officers have increased their presence, particularly downtown, to try to ease some concerns.
“We know that there’s a lot of, you know, panic in the community right now. So, we are stepping up our police presence because that alone can bring some reassurance to the public,” she explained.
Visintin adds some of the Metro teams — responsible for calls all over the city — have been “refocused” into certain areas, to provide more boots on the ground and “hopefully a deterrent for anything future that should happen.”
