Police find suspect car

Photo: Contributed

The Ford Crown Victoria reported in connection to the May 7 shooting in Vernon, has been recovered.

The victim of the shooting, a 24-year-old Vernon man, remains in hospital in serious condition.

The shooting occurred in the 2700 block of 43 Avenue in Vernon at noon.

A man is suffering life-threatening injuries after he was found with gunshot wounds in the parking lot across from W.L. Seaton Secondary school.

The shooter was seen leaving the area in a grey 1996 Ford Crown Victoria with a sticker in the lower side rear-window.

According to police, the shooter was a caucasian male, five-foot-nine with blonde hair.

The same vehicle was then seen in West Kelowna at about 1:25 p.m.

Later that same day, at approximately 8:35 p.m., Penticton RCMP were called to a motel on Westminster Avenue after a report of a man with a gun.

“The man was seen in possession of a high-visibility vest and matched the description of the suspect in the Vernon shooting,” said Sgt. Janelle Shoihet.

The man fled the scene before police arrived.

At 8:45 p.m. on the same day, Penticton RCMP responded to a report of a carjacking on Maple Street.

“Once inside the car, the male assaulted the victim,” said Shoihet. “The victim was forced from the vehicle in the 900 block of Main Street, Penticton."

On Tuesday morning, the victim’s stolen vehicle was seen on a ferry nearing the Departure Bay terminal in Nanaimo.

When he drove off the ferry, officers surrounded his vehicle and the man produced what officers believed to be a firearm.

Officers fired their weapons at the man, who later succumbed to his injuries and died.