New record for shootings in 2021, Ottawa police chief says

Ottawa has seen more criminal shootings in 2021 than any other year on record, according to the city's police chief.

Peter Sloly told the Ottawa Police Services Board on Monday afternoon that there have been 80 investigations into shootings in Ottawa so far this year.

"Eighty shooting incidents, which is the highest we've ever recorded," Sloly said. "This violent crime trend in 2021 mirrors the violent crime levels that we've seen taking place in the past two years in most big city police services across Canada and in the United States."

Sloly said preventing and solving gun crime will be a continued focus in 2022.

The previous record for shooting investigations in Ottawa—which include any time a gun is illegally fired in the city, regardless of whether anyone is hurt or killed—was 78, set in 2018.

There was a lower shooting count in 2020, which was attributed in part to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There have been 16 homicides in Ottawa so far this year, more than half of which involved guns.