BUY NOW, PAY LATER LEADS TO NEAR-DEATH BEATING

Mounties On Hunt For Quartet Behind Drug-Debt Rampage

Mounties are still seeking the four men whose boots and clubs brought
a Kamloops man and woman to the brink of death Thursday night.

Two adults, a man and woman believed to be in their early 30s, remain
in serious but stable condition in Royal Columbian Hospital,
recovering from numerous broken bones and lacerations.

Const. Dave Kelly of the Kamloops RCMP's rural detachment told KTW
the home invasion was drug-related.

"It was a messy scene," Kelly said of the brutal beating. "It seems
to be a collection of a drug debt, basically a buy now, pay later deal."

As of press deadline, it was unknown whether the drug debt was
connected to marijuana or harder drugs like cocaine and heroin. As to
the severity of the victims' injuries, Kelly said "it could have gone
either way."

The beatings took place at just past 11 p.m. Wednesday when four men
used pepper spray and clubs to force their way into a house in the
700-block of East Shuswap Road.

Once inside, the quartet forced two adults to the floor before
searching for and finding the man and woman they were targetting.

The man and woman were then beaten with clubs, suffering severe
injuries. The first two occupants of the home confronted by the
intruders were not injured.

Kelly said the four people in the house, including the two beating
victims, are known to police.

The Mounties were called to the house by paramedics, who were first
called to the scene. Witnesses to the carnage were able to give
police descriptions of two of the assailants.

One man stood about six feet tall, had a shaved head with
reddish-blonde hair and was husky. He has many tattoos, was unshaven
and had a husky voice.

He was in his late 30s or early 40s and was wearing black gloves and
a white muscle shirt with a black dress shirt over top blue jeans. He
was also possibly wearing boots and a ball cap turned backward.

The second man was possibly native, in his 30s and stood about
five-foot-six. He was wearing a dark jacket and a baseball cap.
Anybody with information on the home invasion is asked to call Crime
Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.