Crash involving city vehicle caught on camera and police insist Ottawa is safe: Top five stories this week

Ottawa police continue to investigate the shooting death of Vuyo Kashe, 36, on Clarence Street Friday night. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)

Residents concerned about a convoy-connected group establishing in an Ottawa neighbourhood and a porch pirate groundhog caught on camera south of the capital.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top five stories on our website this week.

Police insist Ottawa remains 'a safe city' following series of recent violent crimes

Ottawa police insists the capital "remains a safe city", following a series of violent incidents this month.

There have been two murders and several shootings in Ottawa in the month of July. Vuyo Kashe, 36, was killed in a shooting on Clarence Street in Lowertown on July 15. Abdulhamid Haji Rageb, 24, died in a shooting on Banff Avenue on July 5.

"Ottawa, compared to other major cities in Canada, remains a safe city," Supt. Jamie Dunlop said.

"I encourage communities to reach out to each other and to police, it is only through partnership that we are going to ensure that our city remains safe."

Supt. Dunlop says all neighbourhoods remain relatively safe in Ottawa.

“Reality, year-to-date, we are down 34 percent, but when you have a number of incidents really tight succession together, you know two shootings resulting in two homicides, two individuals being hit," Dunlop said on Monday.

The Ottawa Police Services Board is scheduled to meet Monday afternoon.

Concerns as convoy-connected group establishes in Ottawa neighbourhood

Residents are expressing concerns about a "Freedom Convoy" connected group establishing roots in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood.

The United People of Canada, a self-described federally incorporated "not-for-profit social enterprise organization" has a presence at St. Brigid's Church on Saint Patrick Street. Corporate documents show three members on the group’s board of directors: Kimberley Ward, William Komer, and Diane Nolan. 

Lowertown residents say they’re concerned with the group’s appearance at the church, and plans to create what TUPC calls "The Embassy;" a downtown location described by the organization’s social media as a "Forum of the People, where all voices have the opportunity to be heard, regardless of how niche the thought, opinion, expression, or belief."

“I did hear about it being an HQ, an embassy, an office, that kind of thing. That’s the part makes me a little uncertain,” Mohamed Elmekki said. 

The building, a designated heritage site, is private property and currently listed at a sale price of $5.95 million. 

In an email, Komer told CTV News the group plans to “restore and adaptively reuse surplus and under utilized institutional properties into vibrant community spaces.” 

St. Brigid’s Church on St. Patrick St. Is adorned with flags and banners of The United People of Canada. (Colton Praill / CTV News)

Ottawa teenager missing in the French Alps

An Ottawa teenager on a summer vacation to France has been missing for more than a week in the French Alps, according to rescue officials.

Authorities in France say Yassin Jouali, 17, was last seen on July 12 while on a mountain trail with friends in the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc region of France, a resort area near the junction of France, Switzerland and Italy.

Commander André-Vianney Espinasse, of the Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne (PGHM) Peloton in Chamonix says Jouali was trail running when he was last seen. 

Chamonix is more than 200 kilometres from Lyon, France.

Friends tell CTV News Ottawa that Jouali recently graduated from Sir Robert Borden High School in Ottawa.

Yassin Jouali, 17, was last seen in France on July 12. (PGHM Chamonix Mont-Blanc/Facebook)

Video shows city of Ottawa pickup crash into an SUV, narrowly miss woman and children walking on sidewalk

There were some frightening moments for a woman and children walking down a Kanata street this week.

Witness video shows a city of Ottawa pickup truck sideswipes an SUV, drives across the sidewalk and crashes into a parked vehicle.

Ottawa police are investigating the collision involving three vehicles on Bridlewood Drive at Huntings End Avenue at approximately 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Police say one of the vehicles involved was a marked city of Ottawa pickup truck.

Video sent to CTV News Ottawa shows a white city of Ottawa truck travelling along Bridlewood Drive when it leaves the road and drives along the grass, returns to the road and sideswipes a white SUV travelling in the same direction. Both vehicles drive across the grass and sidewalk in front of a woman and a group of children walking down the street, the video shows. 

A witness say the pickup truck then crashed into a parked car in a garage.

The driver of the city vehicle was transported to hospital with minor injuries. No other injuries were reported.

"The City is investigating an incident involving a City of Ottawa pick-up truck on Bridlewood Drive. No further information is available at this time," Public Works general manager Alain Gonthier said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa. 

Ottawa police say a city of Ottawa pickup was involved in a three vehicle crash in Kanata on Thursday. (Viewer video)

Porch Pirate groundhog caught on camera stealing package near Winchester, Ont.

A porch pirate rodent has a new voltage converter for its den, after being caught on camera stealing an Amazon package from a home near Winchester, Ont. this week.

Kerry Coons tells CTV News Ottawa the family received an alert indicating the package was delivered Wednesday evening, but there was no sign of the package at the home south of Ottawa.

After searching the property, Coons viewed the porch security camera and discovered a groundhog snatched the item from the porch and fled the scene.

A two-minute video sent to CTV News Ottawa shows the groundhog walking up to the small package on the porch and sniffing the package. Shortly after, the groundhog scurried away with the package in its mouth.

Coons says that after searching around the property, they never found the package.

A groundhog stole a package from the porch of a home near Winchester, Ont. this week. (Kerry Coons/submitted)