For the second meeting in a row, St. Catharines council opened by addressing a shooting in the city.
On Sunday morning around 1:40 a.m. police responded to a shooting in the St. Paul Street and Queen Street area. One man was taken to an out of town trauma centre with life threatening injuries. Police continue to search for a suspect.
Niagara Regional Police Chief Bryan MacCulloch spoke to councillors about the ongoing investigation.
"The big question, the question I know you are hearing from residents, and that you are asking of me is 'Is our community safe?' I can tell you that these are two isolated incidents and are not indicative of a spike in violence. While drug, specifically opioid use, in our community is a concern we are actively working with community partners in an enforcement and proactive role. This is not a problem that is unique to St. Catharines or the Niagara Region. The Opioid Crisis is an epidemic that is occurring right across North America."
Yesterday the NRP also released photos and a video of four young men walking in the St. Paul Street area around the time of the incident.
He urged the public to take a look, saying, "We know the likelihood is that someone knows something." MacCulloch directed anyone with information to call police, or to call the anonymous tip line Crimestoppers.
MacCulloch will join Tim Denis this morning at 8:20 a.m.
