Shooting and apartment fire in FSJ

One man is deceased, while two individuals suffered non-life-threatening injuries following a shooting that occurred on April 18, in Fort St. John, B.C.

Submitted photo.

A shooting in Fort St. John was reported to the local RCMP just after 1 pm, which took place in front of an apartment located on the 9800 block of 103 Avenue.

A black pickup truck with two occupants in it was allegedly shot at by a man in a silver two-door car, according to the media release.

The occupants of the pickup suffered non life-threatening injuries in the shooting and were able to flee the scene, heading to a local hospital for medical attention. The hospital experienced a lockdown procedure following the two victims' arrival, expressing full caution towards the situation.

The RCMP and Fire Department responded to the scene swiftly, discovering the apartment complex was already burning at the time of their arrival. The attending crews noted that a vehicle had driven through one of the units and the blaze was quickly spreading to other units.

The building, which features 14 units, was deemed a total loss upon the fire crews' arrival to the scene, so the crews took a defensive stance to prevent the fire from spreading.

More than 20 firefighters attended this incident, including mutual aid partners from the Taylor Fire Department and the Charlie Lake Fire Department.

The suspect's body was located inside the vehicle, and it’s believed that the he is responsible for sparking the fire before driving his vehicle into the blaze says the release.

The fire was immediately deemed suspicious and handed over to the local RCMP for investigation.

"This appears to be an isolated incident and police believe there is no ongoing risk to the public," said Staff Sergeant Kris Clark of the BC RCMP. "Police have identified several key witnesses and the Serious Crime Unit is actively investigating the incident."

Anyone in the area of 98 Street and 103 Avenue who may have dashcam footage or anyone who has any information who has not yet spoken with the local police is encouraged to call the Fort St. John RCMP Serious Crime Unit at 250-787-8140.