Osoyoos RCMP seeking suspect after shooting at busy beach on Canada Day

Photo: Contributed

An altercation on Canada Day at a busy Osoyoos beach ended with one person getting shot.

Osoyoos RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Jason Bayda said that at 6:50 p.m., officers received a 911 call to White Sands Beach, a local term for a popular area on the east side of Osoyoos Lake.

"What we know at this point is that there was an altercation between two groups and one person pulled out a gun," Bayda said.

One person, an unnamed 22-year-old from Maple Ridge, was shot and has non life-threatening injuries.

The suspected shooter is a man from Oliver, who Bayda said is not yet in custody.

"We have yet to locate him but we're working with Crown counsel and are hoping to have a charge later today or tomorrow morning, at which time we will be putting out a further [news release] naming the suspect and hopefully requesting public assistance to help locate this individual," Bayda said.

He hopes one of the multiple witnesses to the crime will come forward, adding it is astonishing that out of the estimated more than 100 people on the beach at the time, only one person called 911.

"We know that a lot of people don't want to get involved in these things but it was surprising that for something like this to go down, only one person called," Bayda said.

"We know that there are witnesses to this event and we're hoping to speak to anyone that may have witnessed it. We need the public's assistance to help us close any little gap there may be in this event and hopefully get a solid report to Crown counsel, so we can hold this person responsible, and put and end to these types of events."

The Osoyoos RCMP detachment can be reached at (250) 495-7236, or remain anonymous and leave a tip with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).