Shooting breaks out in St. Catharines

POLICE SEARCH FOR TWO ARMED SUSPECTS, THREE VICTIMS HOSPITALIZED

Police were searching for two armed men Thursday following a daytime shooting in St. Catharines, Ont., that sent three people to hospital, two of them in lifethreatening condition.

Niagara regional police said officers were looking at a number of residences in a downtown area of the city west of Toronto in what they described as a “slow, methodical process.”

Const. Phil Gavin said Thursday night they were looking for two men, 19 to 23 years old, who were wearing hoodies and jeans.

“The full strength of the Niagara regional police is involved right now ... we’re doing everything we can to resolve this situation safely for everyone involved,” Gavin told a news conference.

He said investigators believe the shooting was a targeted incident.

Those injured in the shooting have not been publicly identified, but authorities said two have been flown to trauma centres in life-threatening condition while a third was taken to a local hospital with non-lifethreatening injuries.

Gavin said police were called to the intersection of Church and Niagara streets at around 3:45 p.m. The nearby intersection of Queenston and Geneva streets was also affected, he said.

He said investigators were trying to figure out if the shootings occurred outside or inside a home.

Gavin said numerous officers, including the tactical unit, negotiators, the K-9 unit and emergency responders were all on the scene.

Police advised residents to stay out of the area, and employees of local businesses said they remained inside with doors locked until more information was available.