Saanich, British Columbia — Police in British Columbia were searching for a suspect on the run after several people were injured in a shooting at a bank in the Victoria area.
Police in Saanich, British Columbia, said the two had been detained after the shooting on Tuesday and were looking for a third person who appeared to be involved.
British Columbia Emergency Medical Services said seven ambulances were sent to the scene and five were taken to the hospital. There were no immediate words about their condition.
Police said they were evacuating businesses and homes in the area for fear of possible involvement of explosives.
Fabien Cosineau told CTV News that he was at a nearby bike store when he saw two police officers shot and another appearing to be standing on the ground.
A woman living in the area told the Canadian Press that she was in the kitchen when she heard the ammunition ring after 11 am.
“I heard pop, pop, pop. It was continuous,” said a woman who only identified her as Karen.
“A few minutes later, I heard a siren. I definitely heard multiple shots of gunshots. I was in the kitchen with the back door open, but there was a noise.”
Saanich is a community of approximately 120,000 people in the Greater Victoria region of Vancouver Island. It has its own police power.
Resident Tracy Yar said police walked around the house, locking doors and closing windows, shortly after police advised people to stay inside and avoid the area.
“I blocked everything,” she said, adding that the shooting robbed her of her sense of comfort and calm.
“This is really amazing to us,” she said. “That is shocking.”
By Dirk Meissner
follow