Four men injured in ByWard Market shooting
Ottawa police continue to search for suspects after four men suffered gunshot wounds in a shooting shortly before last call at an establishment in the ByWard Market.
Officers on foot patrol at approximately 1:30 a.m. Saturday heard a series of gunshots in the 100 block of Clarence Street, where bars and restaurants were packed with people.
Police say officers found four men with gunshot wounds in an establishment on Clarence Street, between William and Dalhousie streets.
"I was walking around late last night and I saw all the police cars and everything like that," Graham Fox said. "It's unsettling for sure."
Paramedics transported two of the victims to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
A third victim was listed in serious but stable condition at the Ottawa Hospital Trauma Centre early Saturday morning. The fourth victim was treated at the Montfort Hospital for minor injuries, according to paramedics.
No one is in police custody in connection to the shooting.
"There’s so many people in this area after hours and stuff like that. If anything like a shooting is happening after hours, the risk that someone is going to get hurt that wasn’t otherwise involved is obviously really likely," Fox said.
The Ottawa Police Service Guns and Gangs Unit is investigating the shooting. At 12:30 p.m., officers remained inside an establishment as part of the investigation, with yellow police tape at the door.
"It's concerning because it was never like this before," resident Jeff Munro said. "It is concerning."
Rideau Vanier Coun. Stephanie Plante says she hopes the four victims recover and police find the suspects responsible for the shooting.
Plante, whose riding covers the ByWard Market, insists the market is "overwhelmingly safe" for residents and tourists.
"We have 50,000 unique visitors to the ByWard Market every single week and occasionally you will hear of issues that happen at night," Plante said Saturday.
Plante says she has heard from business owners and residents that they would like to see a police station in the market, but she would like to see "something like a hub" with police and OC Transpo special constables.
"We do have foot patrols and we do have the community engagement team out there and looking out for our residents," Plante said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 613-236-1222, ext. 5050.
The shooting happened just days after business owners in the ByWard Market called for greater security as part of a revival of the popular tourist area.
Brian Lahey, secretary of the Properties Group, told the finance and corporate services committee that security should be the first priority.
"Shoplifting, aggressive panhandling and having vagrants sleeping on the sidewalk is destroying the daytime activity," Lahey said Tuesday. "Nighttime security is also an issue. Gangs and shootings must stop. Without a return to normality on security issues, our market is severely threatened."
The committee approved a new plan for the ByWard Market, which includes creating a new ByWard Market District Authority. One of the mandates of the new authority is to undertake initiatives to improve public safety in the market area.
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Tyler Fleming and Ted Raymond
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
LIVE SOON Honda expected to announce Ontario EV battery plant, part of a $15B investment
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Honda executives are expected to announce today that the Japanese automaker is building an electric vehicle battery plant in Alliston, Ont., part of a $15-billion investment.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'