By Ian Holmes

‘It’s frightening’: Shotgun fired at City of Nanaimo building ruled accidental

Oct 31, 2017 | 7:10 PM

NANAIMO — RCMP say a man fired a shotgun blast into the back of the City of Nanaimo’s Service and Resource Centre on Dunsmuir St. Tuesday morning, spawning increased security concerns in the area.

RCMP Const. Gary O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW the sawed-off shotgun was found in the Wesley St. area behind the SARC building, not far from the Harris House Health Clinic.

O’Brien said the shooter didn’t believe the weapon was real.

“He thought it was a toy gun and it wouldn’t fire any live rounds, unfortunately it did fire a round into a cement wall.”

O’Brien said the man was not arrested and charges will not be pursued in part because there was no criminal intent, which was backed by several witnesses.

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“That’s the key contributing factor, the second one is whether anyone was injured in the discharge of that weapon and nobody was.”

He said everybody on-scene, including the shooter, cooperated with police and provided the necessary information to determine charges were not warranted.

O’Brien said police will analyze the gun to see if it has been involved in any crimes and if it’s stolen.

He said it’s believed the gun was left unattended in the area for at least 24 hours.

CUPE Local 401 president Blaine Gurrie, representing unionized City staff, told NanaimoNewsNOW the City has an obligation to address area security concerns, which have previously been expressed to City management.

“An incident like this heightens the need to take security and well being of City staff and citizens required to attend there more seriously,” Gurrie said.

City staff were told there was no threat to the SARC building or its occupants and no lockdown was necessary due to the quick response.

Chrissy Forsythe, who owns a nearby restaurant and heard the gunshot, called the ordeal frightening.

“Knowing that there’s somebody walking around with a loaded shotgun on Wesley St. is extremely disheartening, especially if your doors are unlocked and your business is open.”

Forsythe said public disorder has increased dramatically in the area over the last several months, pointing to more drug abuse, mental illness and needles lying around.

“It has progressively gotten worse and it’s actually gotten to the point where it’s unsafe to even be in that area alone, it scares me.”

The City has made two investments this year in a bid to deal with security problems in the downtown, Old City Quarter and Knob Hill areas.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @nanaimonewsnow

— with files from Dominic Abassi.