Ottawa police tactical officers broke through the side door and front doors of an automotive repair shop on Forest Avenue near Richmond Road, about an hour after shots rang out in the neighbourhood near Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre.
“Anybody in there get down,” officers warned as they breached a side door while other officers crashed through the front entrance.
Shortly after 8 p.m. on Wednesday, at least a dozen Ottawa police cruisers and the tactical team in full-assault gear had responded to Forest Avenue, which runs between Richmond Road and Carling Avenue.
Police continue to investigate a shooting on Forest St. in westend of Ottawa, Thursday, August 20, 2015. The shooting occurred late Wednesday evening, and involved the tactical team. Mike Carroccetto / Ottawa Citizen
“The neighbourhood heard six shots fired,“ said Michael Larabie, who is visiting his grandmother in the nearby Winthrop Court complex.
Another witness said he heard what sounded like three shots — “pop, pop, pop” — coming from inside the building before police arrived.
Police confirmed there had been a shooting but said they had no one in custody and found no injured person.
It is believed six spent shell casings were found outside the garage.
Police continue to investigate a shooting on Forest St. in westend of Ottawa, Thursday, August 20, 2015.
After breaking into the repair shop, officers continued to come and go.
Tactical officers and paramedics, who had been standing by on the scene, began packing up around 10:30, about two hours after the incident began, and roads in the area were reopened.
Forest Avenue, where the shooting, occurred has an eight-storey apartment building and a car wash on one side. On the other side, there’s a Chinese restaurant and an automotive repair shop.
The police’s guns and gangs unit is investigating.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call Ottawa Police Guns and Gangs Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5050. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477(TIPS), toll free at 1-800-222-8477 or by downloading the Ottawa Police iOS app.
