The B.C. RCMP is deploying additional officers to Dawson Creek in response to a recent surge of violence in the community of approximately 12,400 residents. Over the past week, there have been two notable shootings, including a drive-by incident in a residential area and another in a business district resulting in one fatality and one injury.
Authorities believe these violent events are linked to organized crime groups, prompting the mobilization of various provincial law enforcement units such as the Uniform Gang Enforcement Team and Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit to the city situated around 400 kilometers north of Prince George near the B.C.-Alberta border.
Dawson Creek has been grappling with a series of violent incidents for several years, highlighted in a CBC Fifth Estate investigation last fall. The investigation revealed a stark rise in crime, with 11 individuals reported missing or murdered in the community since 2021, a sharp increase compared to only one recorded homicide seven years earlier.
Despite previous statements from RCMP Superintendent Sanjaya Wijayakoon hinting at progress in resolving major cases, no breakthroughs or arrests have been made public yet. North District RCMP Inspector Steve McLeod emphasized the ongoing seriousness of the city’s challenges in a news release issued on Wednesday.
Mayor Darcy Dober of Dawson Creek commended the local police for their efforts under challenging circumstances, expressing solidarity with law enforcement amidst the troubling violence. He acknowledged the targeted nature of the crimes, attributing them to gang-related activities rather than widespread public safety concerns.
