There are continuing developments in this story, the latest information can be found here.
By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
A 22-year-old from Maple Ridge has received emergency treatment for gunshot wounds to his hip after an altercation at White Sands beach on the eastern shore of Osoyoos Lake on July 1.
Confirming a report by Times Chronicle over the weekend, Sgt. Jason Bayda, commander of the Osoyoos RCMP detachment said the detachment received a single call at 6:52 p.m. reporting a shooting at the area known to locals as White Sands beach on the east side of the lake.
“We’ve identified the suspect but we’re not publicly identifying him at this point, but probably later today after some charges are approved and a warrant issued,” Bayda told the Times Chronicle. The 29-year-old suspect has been identified as a local resident from Oliver, he added.
Bayda says it appears there was an altercation between the two individuals that led to the shooting. “One person pulled out a gun and shot at the other person who received non-life-threatening wounds to the hip.” He added it was believed to be a handgun that was used in the shooting.
Both individuals arrived at the beach overland which requires entering the private property of the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB). Most users of the beach arrive by boat.
The stunning beach is popular with boaters as there is no direct land access other than from within the OIB Reserve. The beach has been a long-running source of frustration with non-indigenous boaters using the beach and frequently leaving behind a mess of garbage on what is private property belonging to the OIB.
“It’s our understanding that there was a large amount of people in the area, however, we only received one call on this. Speaking to people on the beach there is an indication that the beach was crowded when it happened and most people immediately departed after the shooting,” he said.
“Again we received only one call and this is really shocking,” Bayda reiterated. He was at a loss for an explanation as to why only one single 911 call was made when typically multiple calls are placed over events of lesser magnitude.
That singular 911 call was made by a companion of the victim he noted.
Bayda is appealing to anyone who witnessed the altercation to contact the Osoyoos RCMP with any information they might have.
More information will be made available by the RCMP following the filing of formal charges. Times Chronicle will continue to update.
As for the rest of the weekend, Bayda said “it went really well, had it not for this incident July 1 it really would have been a non-event for the police.”
He added there were a couple of arrests for being intoxicated in public and a few disturbances at the fireworks, “but certainly fewer incidents of concern that we’ve had at pre-pandemic July 1st events.”
