Nanaimo RCMP shut down southbound traffic on the Nanaimo Parkway, near Northfield Rd. after an incident on Monday, Aug. 1 around 3:30 p.m. (submitted photo/Sandra Dale)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

police incident

Man seriously injured following Nanaimo Parkway shooting, search for gun continues

Aug 2, 2022 | 9:06 AM

NANAIMO — Local Mounties have one person in custody following a shooting along the Nanaimo Parkway.

Emergency personnel from Nanaimo RCMP, Nanaimo Fire Rescue and BC Ambulance responded to the Nanaimo Parkway, near the Northfield Rd. intersection on Monday, Aug. 1 just before 3:30 p.m.

Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien said several witnesses tended to the man at the scene, which included an off-duty nurse.

“It appeared he had a gunshot wound. Information was obtained by our members which led to the arrest of an individual without incident. That male is still in custody.”

The victim, 43, was taken to hospital, first in Nanaimo and then Victoria with what police described late Tuesday afternoon as life threatening injuries.

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Police say the victim and the alleged 48-year-old shooter are known to each other.

The alleged gunman was arrested for attempted murder and is expected to be formally charged later on Tuesday, O’Brien noted.

The weapon involved is believed to be a sawed-off shotgun and could be in the Northfield/Boxwood Rd. areas. O’Brien stressed the importance of not touching the weapon if members of the public find it and instead immediatly contact police.

Several tent encampments are nearby the area of the shooting and it’s believed at least one of the individuals involved in the incident lived in the area, O’Brien noted.

A police presence is expected to remain Tuesday, Aug. 2 as officers search for forensic evidence, including the firearm used in the shooting. The man arrested was unarmed when officers found him on nearby Boxwood Rd. around 20 minutes after the incident.

Police investigators brought in their canine units to help search the southbound ditch of the Nanaimo Parkway for the missing firearm Tuesday afternoon. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

“Our concern is to find that firearm, so we would caution anybody if they are in that area and they see a firearm, please don’t touch it and call us immediately.”

At least one lane of southbound traffic was closed by police on Monday for several hours as investigators worked the scene.

Reports of an active shooter quickly circulated across social media, with several people messaging NanaimoNewsNOW asking if the public was in danger.

Those messages continued into Tuesday morning, with images of a particular social media post circulating, but without the time stamp linking it to Monday’s events.

“That’s very troubling,” O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW. “People need to be responsible for their comments, especially on social media. There was no active shooter, there was an incident involving two people which was resolved within 20 minutes.”

O’Brien added had there been an active shooter situation, police would have alerted the public quickly.

At least one lane of southbound traffic on the Nanaimo Parkway was(submitted photo/Sandra Dale)

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