COQUITLAM SHOOTING 'TARGETED'

At least 12 people were shot between Friday and Sunday, as gang
violence escalated in Metro Vancouver during a two-day span.

Dispatchers at 911 received several calls at 4:20 a.m. on Friday from
Coquitlam residents reporting that shots were fired in the area of
Clarke Road and Glenayre Drive. Less than 20 minutes later, three men
arrived at the Coquitlam RCMP detachment looking for help. Two of
them, both 28 years old, were suffering from gunshot wounds and taken
to hospital for treatment.

Sgt. Peter Thiessen from RCMP's E Division said in a press release
that investigators "strongly believe this was a targeted shooting"
relating to gangs or drugs.

"The victims are very well known to a variety of policing agencies
throughout the Lower Mainland as a result of their ongoing criminal
activity," he said, "and at this point the victims continue to be
uncooperative with investigators."

Police cordoned off the area for several hours, blocking traffic
during the morning commute, as investigators combed the scene for
evidence and canvassed the neighbourhood for witnesses.

Anyone with information is asked to call Cpl. Jim Devine or Sgt. Scott
Baker at 604-945-1473 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Friday's violence preceded a high-profile shooting in Vancouver early
Sunday, when shots rang out in the 3800 block of Oak Street. Ten
people were shot, including six men and two women. Two were critically
injured.

Last week, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) issued
a warning about the potential for increased gang violence, after the
Oct. 16 slaying of gangster Gurmit Dhak at Burnaby's Metrotown Mall.

On Dec. 7, the CFSEU issued a press release stating that members "can
confirm that they have prevented several acts of violence on our
streets that could have placed the public at serious risk."

"Because of the sensitive nature of these investigations, we are
unable to go into detail about the majority of these events," the
release stated. "However, we can confirm that we have seized a number
of firearms and several males, known to police, have been arrested and
are charged in four incidents."