An expert on gangs says the very public nature of a recent series of shootings in Metro Vancouver may be attributed to COVID-19 restrictions, with rivals striking at the first chance they get.Martin Bouchard, a professor in Simon Fraser University's school of criminology, says the pandemic has changed people's routines and they aren't getting out of their homes often, which could play a role in the brazen nature of shootings.He says gang violence follows its own course regardless of what the initial motive was for the conflict.The comments come as police leaders meet today with Solicitor Gene

British Columbia will be holding its remaining stock of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to use as second doses for residents. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say the change is due to the limited availability of the vaccine. The pair say in a joint statement all currently scheduled vaccination appointments through pharmacies will proceed, but no additional appointments will be booked. British Columbia reported 600 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday and 5,887 active infections, for a total of 137,223 since the pandemic began. It also reported one n

The Surrey Gang Enforcement Team has seized a partial brick of suspected cocaine as part of on-going targeted gang enforcement in Surrey.On May 9, 2021 at 11:27 p.m., Surrey Gang Enforcement Team (SGET) attempted to stop a speeding vehicle in the area of 108 Avenue and 152 Street. The vehicle failed to stop and fled from police at high rate of speed. Other SGET units in the area were able to get ahead of the fleeing vehicle and blocked the lanes of travel. With no route of escape, the suspect vehicle stopped and the driver was arrested.Further investigation led to seizure of a partial brick of

RCMP say a second-degree murder charge has been laid after the body of a woman was found last week in Kootenay National Park in southeastern BC. Days after the body of Brenda Ware was found, police issued a notice they were looking for 41 year old Philip Toner as a person of interest. Toner was found by Lake Country RCMP yesterday and has now been charged with the Alberta woman's death. Mounties say BC's Prosecution Service and the Alberta Crown worked together to lay the charge in the Alberta courts, where police allege the murder was carried out.

Officials in Penticton, B.C., are appealing to Premier John Horgan in the latest twist in a bitter dispute over a temporary shelter in the Okanagan city. Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki has written an open letter to Horgan urging him to intervene on the city's behalf as it tries to close the 42-bed shelter in defiance of BC Housing's application to extend the temporary-use permit for another year. Vassilaki hopes Horgan will help resolve the disagreement with Attorney General David Eby, who's also the minister responsible for housing. Eby has said the province needs more time to find long-term

The BC College of Pharmacists has fined a pharmacist and suspended him for a year for diverting and reselling prescription medication. The college says in a recent ruling that Ian Petterson worked at a hospital pharmacy and sold its supplies and medication to a community pharmacy, then pocketed the cash. A written disciplinary ruling says text messages and emails provided the evidence and that Petterson circumvented the hospital's policies and procedures aimed at preventing such theft and diversion. He has been fined 35,000 dollars and must retake a licensing exam, though even if he passes

British Columbia recorded 515 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, continuing a downward trend of infections as the vaccination rate accelerates. Health officials say in a news release that 6,020 people have active infections, 426 of whom are hospitalized, including 141 in intensive care. Two more people have died, bringing the death toll to 1,624. More than 2.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, 110,516 of which are second doses. The government is also extending the provincial state of emergency through May 25, saying it would allow health and emergency management officials to

A coalition of 15 groups wants the City of Vancouver and the federal government to rethink plans for drug decriminalization. The coalition says users have been excluded from discussions with the federal health department about decriminalization, meaning current proposals, if adopted unchanged, could do more harm that good. In a letter to Health Minister Patty Hajdu, the coalition says police have too much input in developing what is being called the ``Vancouver model'' of decriminalization covering simple possession of small amounts of drugs. The Vancouver model suggests people should be allo

A quick response by Surrey RCMP Frontline officers, the Surrey Gang Enforcement Team (SGET), and Air 1 led to the arrest of a man and woman and the preservation of evidence, including a loaded gun.On May 6, 2021 at 7:20 p.m., Frontline officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop with a vehicle for a Motor Vehicle Act violation. The vehicle failed to stop for Police and fled at a high rate of speed. The Air 1 helicopter was in the area and was able to observe the vehicle from a distance and provide direction to officers on the ground. Following the directions of Air 1, Frontline officers and S