Photo by Vince Fedoroff
A CRIME SCENE – Whitehorse RCMP investigate the scene at 3:15 Friday afternoon where the vehicle in the foreground is believed to have been shot at in Porter Creek. They have put out a public alert for a male suspect.
Shooting linked to drug trade, organized crime
Whitehorse RCMP are looking for a man after discovering a vehicle that had been shot at on Friday.
Whitehorse RCMP are looking for a man after discovering a vehicle that had been shot at on Friday.
At 12:40 p.m., police were called to a single-vehicle incident on the Alaska Highway near the Centennial Street–Wann Road intersection.
Upon arrival, police officers discovered the vehicle, a Hyundai Sonata empty of any occupants, appeared to have been shot at.
“The incident is believed to be targeted and related to the illicit drug trade and organized crime,” police said. “As such, Whitehorse RCMP is now investigating the incident as an attempted murder times two.”
One lane of the highway was closed to investigate but was reopened to traffic later in the afternoon.
The investigation is evolving and police are pursuing several leads.
“We are advising the public to continue to expect a police presence in the area,” police said.
In addition to interviewing the car’s two occupants, investigators are reviewing video surveillance from various businesses in the area for a potential suspect.
They have released an initial description of the suspect and associated vehicle that fled north on the Alaska Highway.
He is described as a black male, approximately six feet tall, possibly driving a small light-coloured SUV, possibly a Toyota RAV4
If you see anyone matching the description of the suspect or the suspect vehicle, do not approach, and call the police immediately at 667-5555.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incidents is also urged to contact police.
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Comments (32)
Up 4 Down 0
Jose Alvarez on Mar 5, 2020 at 2:53 pm
I am in Inuvik and there is about 20 gang members here selling crack, it's no secret and everyone in town knows it.
Up 18 Down 4
Blissfully blind on Jan 31, 2020 at 8:41 pm
Why are the police not saying anything except drug trade, organized crime and the rest of it. They've allowed these people here and they've known about everyone for years and every so often they arrest someone but mainly the city is never dry. Cocaine, meth, crack cocaine, fentanyl and heroin and every pill on the market is available here so many things need to change but they won't. The territory needs these people here to justify the billion dollar jail and its staff are highest paid in Canada. Sorry I don't feel I'm getting any bang for my tax buck.
Up 13 Down 7
Not really new on Jan 31, 2020 at 5:04 pm
For as long as I've lived here, and that's close to 40 years, there have been drug-related murders and attempted murders (guns, stabbings, machetes, strangulations) and the people involved have been from every ethnic background I can think of (except Latino, at least I can't think of anyone off the top of my head). In the 1990s and into the 2000s, it was pretty much all young Caucasian men from the lower mainland. So before some folks start clutching their pearls about Somalians, maybe it's just 'their turn'. The only thing that's changed is social media, and the ability to comment online instead of writing and mailing a letter to the editor. To someone else's point, if there wasn't a market for drugs, there wouldn't be any dealers here.
Up 28 Down 3
Yeah Right on Jan 30, 2020 at 7:51 pm
“The incident is believed to be targeted and related to the illicit drug trade and organized crime,”
So are you telling me that the police, who have stated they have identified the two individuals who were in the car, know they are involved in the illegal drug trade and organized crime and yet they are not in custody? What’s wrong with this picture?
Up 26 Down 1
Bandit on Jan 30, 2020 at 4:19 pm
@Gary H
I also have a lot of friends of different ethnic backgrounds, but a simple Google search of published names ie: the 2 in custody for the shooting at the 202 will provide a wealth of information and criminal history of them. As for the Canada Proud site? I don't know what you are referring to. Another site you can look at is CanLII.
Up 3 Down 17
Gary H on Jan 30, 2020 at 2:50 pm
@Bandit
What 'widely available' info? Is it posted on the Canada Proud site? I'm not a member. I know lots of black people, non of them Somali. Strange eh?
Up 21 Down 3
Groucho d'North on Jan 30, 2020 at 2:16 pm
As I stated previously, this not about race but rather economics as the lure for these young criminals.
“Youth in B.C. gangs appear to come from a mix of affluent, middle-class and low-income homes. This is unlike gangs in other areas, such as the United States or other parts of Canada,” the report said.
“Gangs are fueled by greed and the lure of material possessions mixed with the sense of adventure,” Sgt. Winpenny added.
Read the somplete article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-bc-gangs-unique-compared-to-those-in-other-provinces/
Up 21 Down 1
David Anderson on Jan 30, 2020 at 1:13 pm
Mick has a funny definition of racism...
Up 27 Down 0
Bandit on Jan 30, 2020 at 8:53 am
@Mick
This has nothing to do with racism. As my Grandma used to say "The proof is in the pudding."
Just look at the information that is widely available and it might (probably not) change your way of thinking.
Up 18 Down 6
Josey Wales on Jan 30, 2020 at 8:23 am
Hey...I Kant...
Your participation required more credit than a mere thumbs up, so please...
I have been known to rant a tad, butchering the English language and its grammar. To that there is little argument, I and my haters can even agree to that.
That said, thank you for your very articulate, fluid description of your observations and experiences as it relates to the big picture.
As always, speaking for myself I highly encourage you to never cease freely expressing yourself.
As you know, the less that “right” is exercised?
It gets attacked, diluted via tribunal kangaroo courts...
...and legislated away by many of those same state actors you elude to.
Thank you
Up 22 Down 0
to mick on Jan 29, 2020 at 6:56 pm
Mick, you are 'literally' making my point.
('Literally' is the word of the moment for the self-anointed morally superior trendy people who know it all and can't wait to tell you about it. Used to be 'clearly'. And as with 'clearly', 'literally' really means the opposite in its current mode of use.)
That said, let's just hope that this dear man who shot up the car in Porter Creek is caught, (I'm not holding my breath). If and when he is, we'll settle up on whether my guess is correct. I was referencing articles from the CBC, among other reliable news sources. Too bad it doesn't fit with your literally woke world, but that's the way it goes sometimes. I give you this: I could well be wrong. Also, every 'community' has its problems. Not just the Somalis. There just happens to be a trend going on right now and we should be talking about it. At least I think we should be.
Up 11 Down 45
Mick on Jan 29, 2020 at 4:21 pm
@ crazy
Well, you cracked the case with literally no access to any evidence aside from your deep xenophobia and racism.
Congratulations.
Up 47 Down 5
crazy on Jan 29, 2020 at 2:24 pm
Somali drug gangs. It's not a secret except that for some reason we are not allowed to talk about the facts of what is going on.
"The Somali community that settled in Canada says poverty and a lack of access to jobs and academic opportunities are some of the factors behind deadly gang violence that has taken a toll on its youth.
More than two dozen young Somali men have died in Alberta because of such violence in the past decade, with gang activity spreading to Toronto as well, officials say.
The Somali-Canadian population discussed the issue of gang-related deaths recently at a town hall ..."
The CBC story of one Somali who illegally crossed the border from the USA recently, "Caught while crossing the border illegally near Emerson, Man., the 27-year-old Somali citizen readily told the CBSA officers he had an extensive criminal record, had been a Somali Outlaws gang member in Minneapolis and was fleeing an arrest warrant for parole violation.
Farah used eight aliases, two different birth dates and had convictions in four states, including a felony gun conviction.
Farah was released in Winnipeg. June 11, 2018, Edmonton police arrested Farah in a Walmart parking lot in northeast Edmonton. ...Nearby, police found a dumped getaway car that had been used in a string of armed convenience store robberies. Farah became a suspect when a CBSA officer in Winnipeg picked him out of robbery photos taken from security camera footage...."
"Just six days after Farah was first released, he breached his conditions and was subsequently rearrested.
That same day, Nov. 8, 2017, the CBSA gained access to Farah's cellphone. It contained recent photos and videos of Farah playing with a loaded handgun, doing cocaine, concealing cocaine and flashing wads of cash. There were also front-and-back photos of a credit card that wasn't his.
Farah was on parole when the photos were taken, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm..."
The person who tried to murder someone at the 202 recently had a similar background of being released over and over again despite never abiding by conditions and participating in violent crime.
This is absurd, but it's the politically correct world, and we aren't even supposed to mention what is going on or it's 'racist'.
Up 35 Down 22
Yukon Cornelius on Jan 29, 2020 at 9:27 am
Perhaps if the multitudes of upper and middle-class whites stopped buying recreational cocaine the drug dealers would move on to greener pastures?
Up 35 Down 3
Organized what? on Jan 29, 2020 at 8:58 am
The RCMP, bless their hearts say this is organized crime? Please, last time I checked organized crime disappears their rivals quietly without incident and for the most part never endangering the public, ie. civilians.
This is a bunch of yahoo's who perhaps are supplied by someone with some ties to organized crime somewhere down south, and I mean Vancouver or Edmonton, not Mexico.
The dumber the dealer the more public their display over turf will be and the more heat they will bring to themselves.
Please don't worry about these types of incidents in our fair little town, unless you are in the drug game, or are friends with people who are this sort of violence will never affect you, not to say it is wanted or warranted.
Lastly, please stop calling this organized crime, you're giving some goofs a legitimate label.
Up 38 Down 2
I. Kant-Bleevette on Jan 28, 2020 at 9:52 pm
Dear Miles and all the thumbs up supporters:
This is not an RCMP problem. This is a problem with its roots deeply entrenched in the legal system. And those roots have grown strong enough to crack the democratic foundations of our political system such that any semblance of a liveable structure has long since fallen.
Judicial activism, legal activism and social justice activism have created a system in which politicians are merely sideshow distractions to the main event. The social engineering of society based on competing rights claims is an ever increasing spiral of descent into deranging madness. Most people know this.
The RCMP know this, law enforcement personnel know this and so do those who repeatedly and violently flaunt the law. A police officer can have video footage of an identifiable, repeat, violent-offender, committing a violent act and the courts will stay, dismiss or withdraw the charges - 0 time in custody or maybe time served with 1.5 to 2 times remand credit. There is also the Gladue bonus round - You identify as Aboriginal - Well, sorry to have bothered you. You are free to go.
There has been a lot of controversy for sometime now about the increasing licentiousness of society at large and the rise of the entitlement generation. Sure, this has been raised by every generation before them about the generations to follow. Perhaps, we are just better able to see it because society and everything that happens is always on the front page, in the twitting feed, and on and on... The hidden costs of connectivity - Did you get your Coca Cola?
But this is why we need to emphasize greater personal accountability. Because everyone is seeing it and everyone is getting the message that behaviour has no consequences. In this milieu there is further descent into a generalized impulsivity in which we all become further desensitized to the chaos and the violence around us.
In the contexts of northern geographies these things matter more. There is one other group that sees this repeated cycle of catch and release happen again and again - The victims. You really have to wonder what the hell is going on with Victim Services or Adult Probations? Crickets. The direction it seems is for these units to sit on their keesters espousing policies of voluntariness, privacy, and non-interference while people are literally getting whacked.
Here we have the main problem. We have allowed a lockdown situation to occur wherein those who complain - for example, the victims - have to face their abusers, their assaulters, and their abusers families in the communities they are at “war” in. If they speak up they get beat good, they get labelled, and they get ostracized. If they don’t speak up they just get beat, eventually, again. But in some twisted way the victim is in control then for a little while. And it goes on and on as does the political voodoo offered by the heads of the DOJ.
You have to be absolutely and stupendously stupid not to see this. The kind of stupid that suggests breathing and walking at the same time would be problematic. Very few people are this stupid. So, it suggests at the very least a passive complicity - Not my problem.
Again, the Victims know this, especially the victims who are repeatedly victimized. Shut up, know one cares... And if they do... They are not going to do anything.
Up 26 Down 1
Charlie's Aunt on Jan 28, 2020 at 8:13 pm
This is 2nd drug related shooting in this area in past few years, what gives?
Up 27 Down 12
Nicky on Jan 28, 2020 at 7:03 pm
@GdN is correct: " these gangs are largely made up of unemployed young men typically within one racial group who grew up without laws in their countries that are similar to ours. "
The current federal govt encouraged illegal migrant criminals being deported from the US to come to Canada. Border services says there are more than 50,000 illegal migrant criminals somewhere in Canada awaiting deportation hearings, but they don't know where they are. Those criminals also know they will be deported if they show up for their hearing.
Many of these criminals have no legal employment options so they join gangs. We can thank this govt for making criminal gangs in Canada larger and more diverse; "Diversity is our strength".
Up 26 Down 3
drum on Jan 28, 2020 at 6:48 pm
Scary changes in this community. We are importing drug dealers and organized crime according to the RCMP. What are they doing to stop it and send it back south. Or are we just being told to accept that this is what happens when we grow?
Up 31 Down 8
Groucho d'North on Jan 28, 2020 at 2:52 pm
@Brian H
Perhaps I should have said, it is not about one particular race as there are a number of different ones in different parts of the country. Vancouver is a mix of gangs with different ethnicities and they compete between themselves like gas stations and churches. See here: https://www.cfseu.bc.ca/gangs-in-b-c/
The same structure applies in metropolitain centres like Toronto and Ottawa, Halifax and Montreal.
Google it, there is lots of info about this on line.
Up 27 Down 21
Brian H on Jan 28, 2020 at 12:44 pm
umm Groucho... you said, "what is not being reported is that these gangs are largely made up of unemployed young men typically within one racial group who grew up without laws in their countries that are similar to ours." and then said "This is not about race, it is about economics for young untrained and uneducated (in many cases) who view the world much differently than we do." So which is it?? first, you attribute this incident to a specific race from another country than you say its not about race?
Up 48 Down 15
Groucho d'North on Jan 28, 2020 at 9:46 am
We did not have enough crime in our communities so we imported it from afar. Across the country, evidence is mounting on the growth of violent crime attributed to gangs working in the drug trade, what is not being reported is that these gangs are largely made up of unemployed young men typically within one racial group who grew up without laws in their countries that are similar to ours.
This is not about race, it is about economics for young untrained and uneducated (in many cases) who view the world much differently than we do. They see an opportunity to make money and the risk/reward is agreeable to them. Many grew up in violent societies so it is perfectly normal for them to live that way here too.
Up 22 Down 27
Gimme a break! on Jan 27, 2020 at 9:15 pm
I love the priceless comments from all the ‘upstanding citizens’ from the community. You really don’t think this problem exists everywhere and is twice as bad. Then you you need to get your head out of your ...
Be thankful it’s not worse..bright lights big city. Isn’t that Whitehorse is now with all the condos and ridiculous housing prices. What do you think place like Ft. St John and Grande Prairie go through. Drugs and crime will always be here despite all of your grand ideas and riches lifestyles. Wake up people!
Up 54 Down 4
Miles Epanhauser on Jan 27, 2020 at 6:47 pm
This is a police matter. You have to wonder why the drug trade ramps up without police clamping down.
Many people know who the pushers are.
If people did not buy drugs there would be no market for them.
Up 29 Down 12
Allan Stanley on Jan 27, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Another winter gun fight here in Dodge City North you say ?
What's it going to be like this summer ?
Please save us Wyatt Earp !
Up 47 Down 11
Guncache on Jan 27, 2020 at 5:59 pm
As the "little potato" says, "diversity is our strength". Time for courts to get tough. It would be a first if they did.
Up 47 Down 14
Gary Atkins on Jan 27, 2020 at 5:38 pm
Don't worry folks! JT's new gun ban buy back program will keep us safe. These thugs will be glad to get a few bucks for their restricted weapons and turn away from crime.
Seriously though, this is getting out of hand. You couldn't pay me enough to be a cop because of the danger they have to face. I certainly hope that no one else gets hurt.
Up 36 Down 15
JC on Jan 27, 2020 at 5:07 pm
Sorry Rob. Canada is under the laws of Human Rights and Politically Correct now. Just ask the United Nations. Canada under Liberal Progressiveness, can't S h ! - anymore without their permission. If they say pamper the perps, the gov. will do it. If they say grab the guns off the citizenry - criminals exempt - they will do it - they're just waiting to formulate a U.N. approved law. Just ask Yukon's fearless leader. That's if he even knows what going on in Ottawa.
Up 36 Down 20
JC on Jan 27, 2020 at 4:58 pm
Oh, it's so exciting! Whitehorse is truly growing up. It's just like the big cities now. And Diversity is such a wonderful thing. Can't wait to tell Larry and the boss in Ottawa.
Up 36 Down 3
Bingo on Jan 27, 2020 at 4:47 pm
Perhaps the Star could investigate how many people are actually in the Whitehorse correctional centre at present and get some numbers on how many peeps are on conditions for various crimes instead of being held in remand. Lots of politicking about keeping bad peeps in jail on remand hence our decent into dysfunction.
Up 71 Down 29
Josey Wales on Jan 27, 2020 at 3:20 pm
Awesome...more cultural enrichment and diversity in our criminals, nice change despite the unfortunate nature of this article.
Love how we are put to ease with terms like targeted, organized crime.
Even for the good guys, bullets miss...so care not whom was the target.
Two dead folks in porter Creek and now this, almost like a nice wee triangle geographically speaking in a once sleepy wee community?
Hey coppers, I thought your job was to unorganized the organized crime?
So confident your team is on the source of this violence, grab your fire sticks with those 30 round magazines....source it out.
Folks might start shooting BACK at gangbangers thinking this is their turf.
Wrong, our turf, our community.
Up 48 Down 55
Davis on Jan 27, 2020 at 3:07 pm
I would not want to be an innocent black male who happened to own a light coloured toyota rav4 right now...