Arrest made in Westsyde home invasion, shooting
Kamloops Mounties have made an arrest in connection with a home invasion in Westsyde last night (Jan. 25) in which a woman was shot when a shotgun went off during a struggle with the intruders.
Const. Rose Dunsmore said an arrest was made at about 2 p.m. today.
Police are not releasing any details of the arrest and will hold a press conference tomorrow morning.
The Westsyde incident was one of two reported home invasions in Kamloops last night, with another attack occurring at an apartment unit on Columbia Street.
In the more serious of the two crimes, police were called to the 800-block of Wawn Road after two men forced their way into a home.
The two suspects knocked on the door at 8:30 p.m., then pushed their way past the 40-year-old woman who answered.
One man pulled out what the victim believed to be a shotgun, while the second man stole a computer and an IPod.
However, the woman wasn't going down without a fight and struggled with the suspect holding the weapon.
At some point, the gun went off, hitting her in the hand.
The two men then fled the home.
The victim, who lives in the house, was treated for her injuries at the scene.
Mounties aren't saying much about the home invasion, but investigators do not believe the woman was the intended target.
Instead, police said a relative of the victim who occasionally visits the home may have been the target.
The incident prompted RCMP to recommend against fighting back in a similar situation.
"It's certainly not worth your life," Const. Rose Dunsmore said of fighting for items like a computer or IPod.
Two hours later, police were called to another reported home invasion, this time at an apartment unit in the 700-block of Columbia Street.
A 20-year-old man was alone when three masked men broke into his unit and robbed him of jewelry, cash and electronic items.
Police said one suspect threatened to use bear spray to force the victim to sit on his bed, while the other two men ransacked the apartment.
They also smashed the man's phone so he couldn't immediately call for help.
Two of the men are described as being six feet tall and wearing balaclavas, while the third suspect stands five-foot-eight and was wearing a bandana.
Police note they have identified "persons of interest" in the case and that the suspects possibly knew the victim.
Mounties don't believe the two home invasions are related.
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