Oliver man arrested after rifle fired inside apartment

An Oliver man suspected of firing a rifle inside his apartment, damaging several neighbouring units, is facing numerous firearms charges.

A second-floor resident who was sitting on his coach Tuesday afternoon told police he heard a loud bang and then noticed the cushion next to him had a hole in it with stuffing coming out.

Police say the resident believed a shot had been fired from the unit directly below him.

A second resident on the third level told police he also heard several bangs and observed pieces of metal on his floor.

Police arrested a man in a lower-floor suite and say a search of his apartment revealed spent .22-calibre shell casings, a .22-calibre rifle and small-calibre bullet holes in his ceiling and walls.

“An examination of the middleand top-floor units revealed multiple small-calibre holes in the floors and ceilings,” Oliver RCMP Sgt. Blaine Gervais said, adding police don’t believe the upstairs tenants were targeted.

“He was just carelessly firing the .22-calibre rifle indiscriminately into his ceiling and walls,” he said.

Daniel Khafizov, 30, has been charged with one count each of careless use of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and unlawful discharge of a firearm.