Bullet holes are seen in a Sooke home following an alleged assault on New Year’s Eve.
A Victoria man is facing numerous charges after he allegedly assaulted his partner and fired a hunting rifle inside a home in Sooke on New Year’s Eve.
Sooke RCMP said on New Year’s Day, a Sooke couple who had been on a holiday came home and found excessive damage. The couple immediately contacted police.
Mounties said there was a high-powered rifle out in the open inside the home and used cartridges on the floor. Smashed televisions and computers, slashed couches and beverages poured out onto floors and counters were also discovered.
According to police, the RCMP Forensic Identification Section determined several rounds from a high-powered hunting rifle were fired inside the home. Two of the rounds were found in neighbouring homes. No one was injured, police said.
Officers also discovered that neighbours and other people had heard four gunshots around 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Some people did believe the sounds were gunfire and not fireworks, but there were no calls made to the police.
On Jan. 3, Vancouver police told Sooke RCMP that the male suspect in the shooting was in their custody on an unrelated matter. Sooke RCMP went to the Lower Mainland on Jan. 4 and took custody of the suspect.
Ezra Adam Polstein, 26, from Victoria has been charged with assault causing bodily harm, careless use of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5,000. Police said he was scheduled to appear in Colwood Provincial Court on Jan. 5.
Sooke RCMP said he was in a relationship with the person the homeowners had asked to look after their home during the Christmas holidays.
According to police, the victim is safe and recovering from injuries sustained during the incident. Police believe liquor, heroin and meth consumption were contributing factors to the domestic assault and shooting.
“Someone could have easily been shot, injured or killed by what’s a very high powered rifle. He was using it in a completely careless manner, fuelled by what we believe is meth, heroin and alcohol,” Staff Sgt. Jeff McArthur of Sooke RCMP said.
Ezra Adam Polstein’s next court appearance is Jan. 18.
Alexa Huffman
