Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
A house on the 700-block of 10th Street was the target of gunfire on Sunday. (BRUCE BUMSTEAD/BRANDON SUN)
Gunfire rained down in Brandon on Canada Day.
Shortly after 6 a.m. on July 1, as most Canadians were busy packing lawn chairs and filling coolers for the country’s birthday, a home on the 700-block of 10th street was the target of gunfire.
Derek Gross, who lives less than a block away from the residence with his wife and two young children, heard the gunfire from his home.
"At first we just a heard a few shots — boom, boom — then some rapid fire shots — pop, pop, pop," Gross said.
The rapid succession of shots led Gross to speculate that the gun was an automatic weapon of some kind and while police confirmed the weapon was a firearm and not a pellet gun, the exact nature of the gun is still unknown.
The shot-up home, a large two-storey that looks onto 10th Street, was targeted from the back lane.
On Monday, bullet holes in the home, which is believed to be a multi-dwelling unit, were restricted to the first floor of the rear of the building.
Bullet holes were also visible in the side of a shed and fence in the back yard and according to Gross a car believed to be parked in the back lane was also struck by gunfire and towed by police on Sunday.
Although the incident sent chills down the spines of area residents, the incident isn’t believed to be random.
"It’s not a random target," said Const. Tanis Basaraba of the Brandon Police Service. "People are not going around shooting at random people, houses or property."
"We believe, at this time, that it was a targeted individual or individuals," she added. "People should not be worried for their immediate safety because it was a targeted person or persons."
Police spent the day investigating the shooting on Sunday, which occurred less than two blocks away from an elementary school and Basaraba confirmed that suspects have been identified.
Until the motive of the shooting is known, however, police cannot determine or rule out the possibility the shooting was gang-related.
While the exact number of people in the home at the time of the shooting is still unknown, Basaraba said the call to the police came from a person inside.
"No one was injured as a result, which is very lucky, because there were people in the house," Basaraba said.
For Gross, who was outside doing yard work on Monday while watching his two young boys ride their bicycles, the shooting was an isolated incident.
"I’m not that worried about it," Gross said.
"These things are usually directed at people related to the people in some way. Still, it’s not a good thing. We have kids here and we’re not happy about it, but I think Brandon is still a safe community."
» ctweed@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition July 3, 2012
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Gunfire rained down in Brandon on Canada Day.
Shortly after 6 a.m. on July 1, as most Canadians were busy packing lawn chairs and filling coolers for the country’s birthday, a home on the 700-block of 10th street was the target of gunfire.
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Gunfire rained down in Brandon on Canada Day.
Shortly after 6 a.m. on July 1, as most Canadians were busy packing lawn chairs and filling coolers for the country’s birthday, a home on the 700-block of 10th street was the target of gunfire.
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