Homeless people remain in Oppenheimer Park while Mayor Kennedy Stewart calls for park board to delegate jurisdiction to the city. Photo: Dan Toulgoet
Vancouver Police announced Sunday they were investigating a shooting at the Oppenheimer Park encampment that happened in broad daylight on Saturday afternoon.
Authorities say they received reports of the shooting at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, when the victim went to a hospital to receive treatment for her injuries.
The victim, a 53-year-old woman from Powell River, says she was shot while she was stopped in a vehicle on Dunlevy Avenue near the park. The woman says she was visiting a man who has been staying at the "tent city" at Oppenheimer Park.
According to police, the woman underwent surgery and her injuries are not life-threatening.
The shooting points to the VPD's ongoing worries about safety in the area of the encampment.
"Vancouver Police have repeatedly raised concerns in recent months about deteriorating public safety in Oppenheimer Park and throughout the Downtown Eastside as a result of the large encampment in the park," notes a media release regarding Saturday's shooting.
"VPD is concerned by a significant increase in weapons, violence, and calls for service to Oppenheimer and the surrounding area, as gangs compete for territory around the park. Earlier this month, VPD thwarted a murder plot by arresting three street gang members who were allegedly planning to kill a rival drug trafficker who operates near Oppenheimer."
The police add that the shooting investigation is in early stages, and that detectives hope to speak with anyone who may have information regarding the incident.
Witnesses are asked to call the Major Crime Section at 604-717-2541, or to make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
