Semi shooting suspect charged, one man in hospital

This weekend’s bizarre shooting spree along Highway 97 made its way into the lower mainland.

North District RCMP began receiving reports of shots being fired at semi trucks along the highway on Friday evening. The reports began around Houston and Burns Lake. By Saturday, more reports had come in, as far west as Prince George.

“We issued a bulletin to all police officers in British Columbia, asking them to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle,” says Sergeant Annie Linteau, senior media relations officer with the BC RCMP. “At this point in time we really had no information as to where this person has gone.”

The last sighting of the alleged shooter was near 93 mile, headed south.

At about 3:30 on Saturday, Chilliwack RCMP received a report that a man had been shot while driving near Ford Mountain Forest Road. The victim managed to flee and came across Canadian Forces personnel working at a range on Chilliwack Lake Road. They included military police and reservists who were able to provide first aid until the victim could be airlifted to a hospital. The 39 year old resident of Chilliwack remains in hospital but is expected to survive.

Nearby members of the Integrated Police Dog Service and the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team began to search the area near the shooting and located the suspect just after 5 pm. He was taken into custody without incident and his vehicle was located nearby.

The RCMP are continuing their investigation. The North District is coordinating all instances of shots fired and are asking anyone who may have been the victim of a similar incidents involving the suspect or the suspect vehicle to contact their local detachment. The vehicle is described as a 2009 dirty blue 4-door Dodge Caliber  Ontario license plate CAVM 918. No information about the driver has been released at this time.

The man in custody is currently facing one charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. Other charges are being considered by Crown Counsel.