Vancouver police warn of gang-related violence among Halloween celebrants
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/10/2010 (5425 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
VANCOUVER – Vancouver Police are warning about a true threat hiding among Halloween celebrants this weekend.
Police say they’ll be out in greater force after receiving some information about a high probability of an increase in gang-related violence.
Vancouver Const. Jana McGuinness said on Saturday that police felt the information was concerning enough that they should issue the public notice.
But that doesn’t mean police want people to cancel their party plans.
“Absolutely not,” she said. “What we’re saying is ‘go out an enjoy your event, have a good time, have a safe Halloween,’ but let us know if you see something that seems out of place.”
Those attending the Pacific National Exhibition’s Fright Nights or partying in the Granville Entertainment District this weekend have been singled out for the police caution.
McGuinness said they reveal what kind of threats were made, but said given the recent gang activity in other Metro-Vancouver cities, they decided to take the information very seriously.
Just two weeks ago, a convicted killer and known gangster was gunned down in what police say was a targeted shooting in the parking lot of the busy Metrotown Mall in Burnaby, B.C.
“We know that we need to put some extra officers out to make sure the public is safe,” added McGuinness.
The Vancouver-area has had its share of gang violence in the last few years as rival gangs fought over control of the areas illegal drug trade.
Several dozen gangsters have been killed in brazen daylight shootings, and in 2007 two innocent bystanders were murdered along with four gang members in a Surrey, B.C., apartment building.
Local police and RCMP detachments and the Integrated Gang Task Force have been informed about the same threat, McGuinness said.
“We all know as well that these people move around,” she said, referring to gangs covering several territories in B.C.’s Lower Mainland.
“We’ve seen it in the past couple of years where incidents take place in multiple jurisdictions, so (police) need to be closely aligned like that.”