SINGLE MOM FED UP WITH DRUG DEALS NEAR HOME

Shooting At Subsidized Housing Complex Remains Under
Investigation

A 23-year-old man shot in what is believed to be a drug-related
incident over the weekend remained in critical, but stable condition
at Kingston hospital Monday.

Detectives investigating the shooting at the subsidized housing
complex at 120 North Park St. continued interviewing residents of the
neighbourhood in an effort to shed light on the brazen incident, which
occurred around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

"Three black males entered this residence, a confrontation took place,
and the victim sustained injuries," said Staff Sgt. Mike Graham of the
Belleville Police Service, adding the victim was not a Belleville resident.

"We have completed gathering physical evidence and we're forging ahead
and presently trying to identify the shooters."

Neighbours of the home, meanwhile, said traffic to and from the house
has been very noticeable over the past six months.

Nearby resident Selena Miller voiced her disgust at the activity at
the location.

"That crack house over there has been running for about a year and
I've often wondered myself if it's being watched, or why isn't anybody
doing something about it? It's quite obvious what they're doing over
there," she said.

"I'm a single mother of six children over here and I'm living here
because we can't afford to live anywhere else. There are tons of
children over here and had it been any warmer the other night, all of
these children would have been out playing."

Miller said neighbours have found syringes and have confronted men who
appear to be making daylight drug deals in the parking lots.

"Obviously this is getting to be a dangerous place ... and I want to
say to these people not to come around here anymore. We're definitely,
as a community, coming together and try to keep a closer eye on these
people in this neighbourhood."

Miller said many of those who live in the social housing complexes in
the area feel drugs and incidents such as the shooting are "a fact of
life because of where we live."

"But that isn't the case - I'm telling people we don't have to put up
with this bullshit."

Miller said she had phoned Crime Stoppers several times about the
address where the shooting took place, as recently as six months ago.

"I think my question to the Belleville police is why is it taking so
long to get these places shut down?"

Speaking from police headquarters, Graham said the department welcomes
any information provided by the public in regard to suspicious activity.

"Sometimes investigations are long, drawn out affairs, and a single
phone call doesn't give us the grounds to do what we want to do. Every
time we have to collaborate the information we are given."

Graham would not confirm or deny whether the house where the shooting
took place was under police investigation.

Deputy Chief Brian Harder echoed Graham's comments.

"If there are neighbours there who have information, we would love to
talk with them. We will send an officer to their house - or they can
come in here," he said.

Harder also mentioned Crime Stoppers, in which people can call
(613-969-8477 ) and leave information anonymously.

"Crime Stoppers is an independent organization - we don't know who is
calling. The information is passed from Crime Stoppers to us. Many
people think that Crime Stoppers is an arm of the police, but it
isn't. It's a completely separate organization."