Police are continuing to investigate the death of a local man in what they’re calling a targeted shooting in Metchosin.
Shortly after 9 p.m. on March 5, police received reports that a man had been shot in the 4600-block of Sooke Road. When emergency crews – including the West Shore RCMP’s Police Dog Service and the Vancouver Island RCMP Emergency Response Team – arrived, they found a 37-year-old man dead at the scene. The deceased was known to police.
“This was not a random act of violence,” said Const. Alex Berube, media relations officer for the West Shore RCMP, in a press event Saturday.
While police have not officially confirmed his identity, friends have confirmed on social media the deceased is Shane Wilson. Also known as “The Warrior,” Wilson competed as a boxer and mixed martial arts fighter in a number of matches, including appearances at Summer Slugfest at Western Speedway.
Initial evidence at the scene suggests the shooting was targeted, Berube noted, adding no arrests had been made and the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit has taken over the investigation.
REMINDER - #BCHwy14 is closed in #SookeBC east of Kangaroo Road due to a police incident. Detour now available. Eastbound traffic can use Gillespie Rd for a detour. . Westbound traffic from #SookeBC can use Happy Valley Rd as a detour. For more info: https://t.co/ngRssIvw6V
— DriveBC (@DriveBC) March 6, 2021
During Saturday’s press conference, Berube noted police are still working at identifying persons of interest and the motive behind the shooting. “At this stage, we’re not ruling out any possibilities as to what may have occurred or who may have been involved.”
When asked about a possible risk to the public, he emphasized that while residents “may feel uneasy about a shooting happening in a rural area such as Metchosin,” investigators do believe the deceased was targeted. Berube could not say if the shooting was gang related.
The incident resulted in Sooke Road being closed in both directions near Kangaroo Road from late Friday night until 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Police maintained a presence in the area throughout the weekend while investigators continued to work.
The West Shore RCMP clarified on Sunday that its presence at the Esquimalt Lagoon on Saturday was not related to Friday’s shooting. Police did release any new information Monday.
Anyone with information or who was in the area near the 4600-block of Sooke Road between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Friday is asked to contact investigators. To contact the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit, call 250-380-6211. Police are also seeking dash-cam footage to aid in the investigation.
-With files from Wolfgang Depner, Katherine Engqvist