Man shot at licensed pot farm in rural Niagara Falls
45-year-old wounded in what NRP call a targeted attack; no information on suspects
Police are asking for the public’s help after a shooting in rural Niagara Falls Monday.
Investigators, though, are offering very little information on how a 45-year-old man was seriously wounded in what they described as a targeted shooting at a licensed medicinal cannabisgrowing operation.
It happened at about 2:15 p.m. The victim phoned 911, saying he had been shot. Paramedics took him to an out-of-town trauma centre. He underwent surgery Tuesday and police say the man emerged in serious but stable condition.
Early Tuesday, a police cruiser was stationed along the QEW near where the dead end of Willoughby Drive abuts it. Another cruiser was parked nearby, on the other side of a wooded area at the end of Willoughby Drive.
A third cruiser was posted on Morningstar Road, a short stretch of unpaved roadway that runs off Willoughby.
The cruiser was parked in front of what appeared to be a rundown commercial or industrial operation, with the address 13671 Willoughby Dr. Across the street was a residence, where no one appeared to be home.
Despite the presence of the cruiser, “we’re not confirming any addresses,” said Const. Phil Gavin.
He said he did not have a name
for the growing facility and refused to say whether the weapon was a handgun or some other model.
“That’s part of the whole investigation, we’re not releasing anything in terms of the weapon description or anything like that,” Gavin said.
He also said he was unable to provide a description of any suspects, saying “that’s part of the ongoing investigation.:
“At this point they’re interviewing people and looking for witnesses. If and when we get that, hopefully we’ll be able to release that.”
He confirmed other people were on site at the time of the shooting, saying “they are being spoken to by our officers.”
The area where the shooting occurred is mostly bush property and farm land. Gavin said investigators are “asking for anyone who has closed-circuit television or surveillance (footage) to review it for any suspicious activity.”
On Tuesday morning, Nelea Tureac, who lives with her husband Daniil a short distance from where the cruisers were stationed, said she heard nothing at the time of the shooting.
“I have no idea what is going on there. Nothing,” she said. “I have seen the police, but that’s all.”
It isn’t known if the Niagara Falls incident is related to another daytime shooting in downtown St. Catharines on Sept. 6, where three people were wounded. In that case, police believe a single shooter was involved and said that was a targeted incident.