WARNING: Story contains disturbing content
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Wails and sobs came from a woman at the corner of 223rd Street and Lougheed Highway late Friday afternoon, minutes after reports of a shooting in Maple Ridge’s downtown.
She could be heard saying “he’s gone.”
The major highway through Maple Ridge has been shut down in both directions, from 224th Street to the Haney Bypass, and at least a half dozen police cruisers and a few handful of officers are on the street, just east of the intersection, where a reported argument erupted into gunfire, said one witness on scene.
Ridge Meadows RCMP responded to reports just after 5 p.m. of shots fired.
“We are canvassing right now, speaking with witnesses, getting information,” explained Staff Sgt. Hally Shin.
“We don’t know how long the road will be [closed], but we believe there is no danger to the public.”
⛔️NO CHANGE - #BCHwy7 #LougheedHwy Police incident has closed the roadway at Haney Bypass. Please watch for crews and plan an alternate route. #MapleRidge pic.twitter.com/wxbR2hijEw
— DriveBC (@DriveBC) June 1, 2024
One witness heard three shots being fired and when he came upon the scene he said he saw a woman giving CPR to a man on the ground. He saw the alleged shooter, wearing a black hoodie with bulldogs on it, run east along Lougheed Highway towards 224 Street, before escaping from sight between two businesses, south towards the Fraser River.
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Another witness who was sitting in a car mid-block saw two men fighting for about eight minutes before one man suddenly pulled a knife. The other, he said, pulled a gun and shot the man in the face before running away. The alleged shooter was trying to cover his face when he ran away.
A tarp could be seen covering what appeared to be a body at the side of Lougheed Highway, on the southeast corner of the intersection. A white sedan was parked nearby, also behind the police tape.
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Ruby Wu, who has lived in Maple Ridge for six years and who works up the street from where the incident took place, said she has never seen something like this so close.
“It feels so scary,” she said, adding that she was shaking.
Wu said the RCMP had foot patrols who would check in on businesses along that stretch of Lougheed, but noted she hadn’t seen them in a while.
“I told them I really appreciate that they’re doing foot patrols around here and make sure everything is good around here. For me, I feel safer if they have that around here,” she said.
While some police were redirecting traffic, others were taping off a perimeter, and a police dog unit was seen combing the area.
• Stay tuned for more information, as it comes available