Police are investigating after shots were fired in a Peterborough neighbourhood late Tuesday night (November 12).
At around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, officers were called to 850 Fairbairn Street, a 36-unit townhouse located between Parkview Drive and Highland Road that is operated by the Peterborough Housing Corporation, after multiple reports of gun shots.
Upon arriving, officers learned that multiple units of the townhomes were struck with bullets and several more bullets were fired into the air. Police also found shell casings on the ground.
No one was injured in the what police are calling “a disturbing incident” and the seventh shooting in Peterborough in 2024.
“It’s just a reminder of the violent acts that follow the illicit drug trade,” said deputy police chief Jamie Hartnett during a media conference late Wednesday morning (November 13) at the site of the shooting.
Police are looking for three male suspects, all dressed in dark clothing, who left the area in a dark-coloured sedan heading north on Fairbairn Street, possibly out of the city. There may have been a fourth suspect in the vehicle, which police believe may have been in the area prior to the shooting.
“We’re just thankful that no one was injured, or worse, from the brazen actions of the suspects last night,” Hartnett said.
“There’s no question Peterborough is feeling the pinch of the big city with the criminal activity and the violent crimes that are ongoing,” Hartnett added. “The safety of our community is paramount, and we will band all our resources for this investigation.”
Other than being connected with the illicit drug trade due to what police call “the drug sub-culture in the community,” police are not aware of the motive for the shooting.
Acccording to detective sergeant Josh McGrath, who also spoke to media, police do not believe the incident is connected to a shooting at the same location in May, when a 24-year-old Oshawa man suffered a gunshot wound to his leg.
In response to a reporter’s question noting the shooting occurred on the same day that city council was reviewing the police service’s draft 2025 budget, Hartnett noted it’s “all hands on deck” for a criminal investigation like this, with additinal police resources diverted to the initial invetigation.
“We’ll have upwards of 20 investigators right now trying to identify (the suspects),” Hartnett said. “We try to front-load it at the beginning. It’s critical in the first 24 to 48 hours to try to identify (the suspects) and we’ll continue with that.”
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident, or anyone who may have driven in the area of Fairbairn Street and Parkview Drive in the last few days and has dashcam footage, to contact Peterborough police at 705-876-1122 ext. 555. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip online at stopcrimehere.ca.
