Ottawa police are investigating two separate shootings in Ottawa’s Centretown and downtown areas late Friday and early Saturday morning.
At nearly 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning, Ottawa police responded to reports of a shooting near the 300 block of Elgin St.
Police say one of the shootings happened on Jack Purcell Lane, a small laneway behind a strip of bars and restaurants on Elgin St.
Ottawa police Staff Sgt. Ken Bryden said four bouncers from one of the nearby bars were leaving by the rear door of the building, on to Jack Purcell Lane, when they were shot at several times.
They told police the shots came from a dark coloured sedan. Police are looking for four to five suspects who were believed to be inside that vehicle.
Police say earlier in the night, a group of people were refused entry into one of the bars in the 300 block of Elgin St. The group got into a verbal fight with the doormen of the bar.
Staff Sgt. Bryden said the shooting appeared to be the end result of that argument, with the doormen being shot at at the end of their shift.
Police found several shell casings at the scene. No one was injured.
A few hours earlier at around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, Ottawa police and OPP responded to a shooting on the eastbound Queensway near the Rochester exit.
A vehicle with five people inside was struck by two bullets. No one was injured in that case, either.
Police say the suspects’ vehicle pulled up to the passenger side of the victim’s vehicle, and shot at it while in motion.
Two bullet holes were left in the victim’s vehicle: one in the door frame of the passenger’s side, and one through a rear passenger window.
OPP located two shell casings nearby.
The Ottawa Police Guns and Gangs Section are investigating both incidents. Police say they do not believe the shootings are related.
Anyone with information on either of the shootings is asked to call Ottawa at 613-236-1222 Ext. 5050.
