Mounties in Nanaimo conducted searches at two locations Thursday in connection with a missing person who is believed to have met with foul play.
The searches centered on two locations, one at an apartment at Rosehill Street and Vancouver Avenue, and the other in and around the area of Diver Lake.
Const. Gary O’Brien told CHEK News people could expect to see upward of 30 officers searching the areas in the next two days.
He said there was no concern to the public, but asked people to stay away from both areas while investigators do their jobs.
“Divers lake is a large area. We’re searching inside the lake, we have underwater recovery team members and forensic team members above the surface,” he said. “It’s a very meticulous search so we don’t want to miss anything.”
O’Brien said a missing persons report was put out regarding the individual, but stopped short of confirming who the person is or whether they were male or female.
“Right now, there’s information that we are not releasing simply to preserve the integrity of the investigation,” he said.
No body was been discovered and the incident is not connected with the recent deadly shooting linked to gang violence that took place in downtown Nanaimo.
Meanwhile, James Loe, who lives in the apartment building one of the searches was being conducted at, said he came home early Thursday morning to find police blocking off the building and officers in white suits entering the main floor.
He said the unit the search seemed to centre on was home to a couple he was only partially familiar with.
“I only had met the lady about a month ago actually and we’d only just pass each other in the hallway and say hi,” he said. “Everyone’s really nice. We know everyone in the building, it’s kind of a community, and it’s just really shocking to see it.”
Ryan Webster, who lives in a nearby apartment, said he had heard screaming and yelling between a couple come from the same unit.
“Apparently there’s been a lot of commotion in that one unit,” he said. “About a month ago I heard some really, really nasty screaming, the girl just yelling at the guy about a bunch of relationship stuff.”
Police said if any significant evidence is found in the next two to three days, they will update the public on the investigation.
An RCMP member searches the area around Diver Lake Park Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Kendall Hansen/CHEK)
Jeff Lawrence
