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People who associate with a West Kelowna man who has survived several attempts on his life are putting themselves at risk, police say.

Kyle Gianis' most recent brush with death occurred last Friday near a busy Kelowna corner when he and an acquaintance were shot. Gianis was only lightly injured, but his acquaintance, an unidentified 25-yearold Surrey man, remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The attack also apparently involved the use of a homemade bomb, which did not explode.

"We have reason to believe this was a targeted attack on these two men," Kelowna RCMP Insp. Beth McAndie said in a Sunday release.

"Because of his criminal activities and associates, Mr. Gianis poses a threat to our community and the public in general, and we are putting all our resources into investigating this newest incident."

Gianis has been targeted in four shootings. In March, he was shot outside a Kelowna gym. He was also shot in 2017 in Langley and in 2018 in Surrey.

The most recent bid to kill him was made just before 7 p.m. near the corner of Pandosy-Lakeshore and KLO-Cedar in the bustling South Pandosy neighbourhood. Witnesses told police the suspects fled the area in a silver SUV.

No arrests have been made. Police ask anyone with information to call them.

The area where the improvised explosive device was cordoned off until bomb squad officers could arrive.

Gianis was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment in 2008 in Washington state after being convicted of smuggling methamphetamine into the U.S. He was transferred to a Canadian jail in January 2012 and granted day parole in 2013, The Vancouver Sun reported.

After moving to West Kelowna, Gianis opened a sportswear company called Iron Athletics in 2019 and said he'd changed his life around. Gianis' home in West Kelowna was raided by a police anti-gang task force in March.