Woman injured in Saturday shooting at Oppenheimer Park

VANCOUVER Police are investigating a Saturday afternoon shooting at Oppenheimer Park, which sent a woman to hospital with serious injuries.

VPD received reports of the incident around 3:30 p.m. on October 26 after the victim showed up at hospital and reported being shot while stoppedĀ in a vehicle on Dunlevy Avenue, just west of the park. The woman, a 53-year-old from Powell River,Ā was visiting a man who stays at the Oppenheimer encampment.

The victim had surgery at hospital, and the injuries are not life-threatening.

Vancouver Police have repeatedly raised concerns in recent months about deteriorating public safety in Oppenheimer Park and throughout the Downtown Eastside as a result of the large encampment in the park. VPD is concerned by a significant increase in weapons, violence, and calls for service to Oppenheimer and the surrounding area, as gangs compete for territory around the park. Earlier this month, VPD thwarted a murder plot by arresting three street gang members who were allegedly planning to kill a rival drug trafficker who operates near Oppenheimer.

Detectives from VPDā€™s Major Crime Section are in the early stages of the investigation into yesterdayā€™s incident, and want to speak with anyone with information. Witnesses are asked to call the Major Crime Section at 604-717-2541, or to make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.