One man is dead following a shooting in a residential Port Alberni neighbourhood on Sunday evening.
According to Port Alberni RCMP, officers responded to a home on 18th Avenue, near Argyle Street, at approximately 6:10 p.m. on August 29th after receiving a report that someone had been shot.
“[I] heard a big bang but I just assumed it was people moving [and] dropping something,” said Mike Barrowcliff, a neighbour. “Then shortly after a girl came out of the house quite distraught saying someone’s going to die. We need an ambulance. Can somebody help me, please?”
Police arrived on the scene, identified people involved and took one woman into custody following the incident.
Attempts to revive the victim were unsuccessful. An air ambulance that landed at a nearby school left empty.
Neighbours say the home is owned by Samantha Dittmer, who they say lived in the residence with Jesse McPhee, her adult son and his girlfriend. They had moved here from the mainland in March 2019. There are tenants in the basement suite but the incident happened in the upstairs part of the home.
On Monday morning, police tape could be seen across a residential home as officers hold the scene awaiting judicial authorization to proceed with their investigation.
“The parties are known to each other, there is no threat to neighbours or the community and no connection to gangs or organized crime,” notes Port Alberni RCMP Sgt. Peter Dionne in a statement.
The investigation is in its early stages and Crown Counsel will be briefed on the incident before charges are recommended.
Neighbours say they wouldn’t have expected something so serious to happen so close to home.
“Surreal. You don’t expect it on your street,” said Barrowcliff.
This morning police aided the SPCA in removing two dogs from the property. Police say forensics officers will likely be at the property for the next several days.
The last man fatally shot on Vancouver Island was in Campbell River in July.
CHEK News
