Police Investigate Attempted Murder in West Bay

Shortly before 1:40AM today, 5 November, the 9-1-1 Communications Centre dispatched officers to a report of an attempted murder at an address on Gorse Lane in the Birch Tree Hill area of West Bay. It was reported that a man had been shot multiple times while outside the residence. Firearms officers attended the location and administered first aid while clearing the scene for the arrival of emergency medical services. The man was then transported to hospital to be treated for his injuries, which are serious, however, he appears to be in stable condition. Officers conducted checks in the vicinity and found a number of spent shell casings, and officers remain on scene.

The RCIPS Senior Command Team met this morning to develop a coordinated response plan in relation to this incident, which was a targeted attack and appears to be gang-related.

"As always, our main priority remains ensuring public safety," says Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton. "We are taking the immediate step of increasing our proactive patrols, particularly in targeted areas. Members of the public can expect to see an increased presence of armed officers, and may experience some inconvenience due to vehicle control points and stop checks. We urge the public to cooperate with our officers as best they can, to assist us in bringing the culprits to justice, and proactively preventing any potential retaliation."

"Although this attack was targeted, we understand that members of the public may be concerned by this and other firearm-related incidents which have taken place over the weekend," Commissioner Walton adds. "We urge everyone to continue to exercise personal safety, but by the same token we remind everyone not to attempt to take matters into their own hands, but allow the police to do our job. The best way to do this is to provide information which can assist with our investigations, no matter how minor it may seem. Don't help the culprits evade justice by keeping information to yourself."