Vancouver Police step up patrols in the Downtown Eastside amid recent gun violence – BC
Vancouver police say they are temporarily increasing the number of police officers on the downtown East Side after nearly a week of gun violence has left people reeling.
On Thursday morning, a 24-year-old man was shot while riding his bicycle near East Hastings and Carral Street.
The sergeant said the man was able to get home to the SRO hotel before calling 9-1-1. Steve Addison.
“No one should put up with this level of violence and lack of neighborhood safety. I’m here.
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VPD officers say they have recovered 14 real and replica firearms in the neighborhood over the past four days, some of which have led to arrests.
“We received a 9-1-1 call Sunday morning from a woman who had been pepper sprayed in front of the Carnegie Community Center, and we were able to track the suspect to several tents in the Patricia Hotel area. We recovered the shotgun and two men were arrested in the incident,” Addison said.
Also on Sunday, a man was arrested after a midday shooting that left the 31-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds.
“We also have investigators, organized crime investigators working behind the scenes to better understand what caused so many guns in our neighborhood over the last few days. I’m not sure if it’s a general problem or if there’s something bigger going on.
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This rapid response force will provide additional patrols in the Downtown Eastside, Chinatown, and Gastown.
Retired police detective Doug Spencer says this increase in crime is to be expected in the overcrowded tent city.
“This is a total circus. These people are severe drug addicts and suffer from mental health. There is nothing to pick up firearms and protect against each other. Let alone over drug turf.” Not to mention the gang members in dispute,” Spencer told Global News.
Homeless advocates such as Anna Cooper of the Pivot Legal Society have renewed calls for a reduced police presence and better housing.
“Right to adequate housing is not an SRO without basic services. It’s not shelter beds, it’s not supportive housing where basic tenancy rights are violated as part of the housing model,” Cooper said. He told reporters on Thursday.
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In between are local businesses concerned about rising violent crime in their neighborhoods.
Bradley Spence, CEO of eevee electric vehicles, said:
“It looks like it’s getting worse and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better any time soon. It just keeps getting worse and worse. So I said the other day that I don’t even know if I’m going to renew the lease at this point.”
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