The R-C-M-P in Surrey are asking for the public’s help in locating a 23-year-old man wanted in connection with multiple frauds. They say Clayton Brooks Hayden has been charged with 13 counts of fraud under five-thousand dollars after the financial crime unit identified a suspect in a series of alleged frauds last November and December. The victims were allegedly approached by a man who asked them to deposit a cheque into their account through A-T-Ms and withdraw funds for the man, learning days later that the cheques were fraudulent. The Mounties say the victims lost a combined total of more than 10-thousand dollars as a result.
The R-C-M-P say a man has been killed and a woman suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting yesterday morning in Chilliwack. Police say they located the pair at a home at about 8:30 a-m after responding to reports of gunshots. The Mounties say they placed a nearby school on a hold-and-secure so an air ambulance could land in the field to transport the woman to hospital. They say the man and woman knew each other and there is no risk to public safety.
Delta police say they have already received more reports of suspected hate crimes this year than for all of 2020. Deputy Chief Harj Sidhu says police have seen 15 cases from January through mid-April compared to 12 last year, including 10 incidents from March 29th to April 12th. Sidhu says racial slurs and anti-Semitic graffiti were the most common complaints among recent cases, but one person was also arrested in an assault involving racist remarks. He says the trend in Delta is not linked to anti-Asian hate crime that has been experienced in other jurisdictions of Metro Vancouver during the pandemic.
Vancouver police say a man has been charged in a case of stalking that was recorded on video and posted to social media. Police say they began investigating after a woman posted the video last month showing a man persistently following her for many blocks as she walked downtown. Constable Tania Visintin says the woman eventually sought help from people at a nearby park and one of them chased the man off. Visintin says a 33-year-old man who already faced five other
charges in connection with offences in March has been charged with one count of criminal harassment.
The National Hockey League announced the Vancouver Canucks’ return to game play has been delayed from this coming Friday. The N-H-L says in a statement the decision was made to provide
club staff and players with more time for recovery and preparation after a COVID-19 outbreak that sickened more than 20 players and several staff members. It says a revised schedule is expected to be released by today. Canucks’ general manager Jim Benning says in the statement many players have yet to clear medical evaluation, and an additional couple of days should aid their recovery process.
The executive director of the American company that signed a deal this week to buy the Vancouver Aquarium says they plan to maintain the aquarium’s unique values and its marine mammal rescue center. Eric Rose says Herschend Family Entertainment will be a support structure to allow existing management to run a world-class aquarium. He says the first step will be to engage with the aquarium’s many stakeholders to hear their ideas and suggestions for the future. The aquarium has committed to phase out the display of cetaceans such as whales and dolphins, and Rose says the Georgia-based company has no plans to challenge previous decisions.
B-C’s top doctor says residents must keep non-essential travel and social interactions to a minimum to bring the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic under control after record case numbers in recent weeks. Dr. Bonnie Henry says the higher risk of transmission given variants of concern prompted three-weeks of “circuit breaker” restrictions last month, which included the closure of indoor dining at restaurants and bars. While Henry is urging people to reduce their contacts, she hasn’t said whether the circuit breaker will last beyond Monday when it’s set to expire. The B-C Restaurant and Food Services Association says the restrictions are expected to continue beyond the initial three weeks
B-C marked three grim records as active COVID-19 infections surpassed 10-thousand and the number of people in hospital and I-C-Us hit new peaks. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie says hospitalizations are highest among people aged 40 to 59 and people between 60 and 79 in intensive care. She says the province is aiming to vaccinate people in those age groups as fast as possible, while battling fast-spreading variants of the virus. Health Minister Adrian Dix says more than a quarter of people eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in B-C have now received at least one dose, amounting to more than 1.2 million shots in total
Some provinces are weighing offering the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to younger residents, as a national panel says it may update its recommendations. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says it is re-considering its advice from last month that the vaccine only be administered to those 55 and up, due to reports of rare blood clots. Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube and Alberta’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, have said they are looking into expanding the shots to more age groups. Hinshaw says, for now, anyone between the ages of 55 and 64 should take the shot.
Soldiers, sailors and air force personnel in the U-K are making final preparations for Prince Philip’s funeral, set for tomorrow. Plans call for a martial but personal service to mark the passing
of Philip, who was one of a dwindling number of Second World War veterans. More than 700 military personnel are set to take part in Saturday’s ceremony at Windsor Castle. COVID-19 restrictions mean there will be only 30 mourners allowed inside St. George’s Chapel, including the Queen and her four children
BC is reporting 1,005 new cases of COVID-19 today. Six more people have died after contracting the illness, bringing the death toll in the province to 1,530. There are 10,081 active infections in BC, another new high. 425 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 127 in intensive care.
The province is expanding some B-C Supreme Court services to the Tri-Cities area due to the growing population of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. Three courtrooms in Port Coquitlam not being used by provincial court will be assigned to hear civil and family cases including divorces starting Monday. The move will save Tri-Cities residents from having to travel to New Westminster, Abbotsford or Vancouver for those Supreme Court services. The Attorney General’s ministry says the need to travel made access to justice difficult, and the COVID-19 pandemic added to the strain.
Vancouver police say they are making progress as they investigate a two-year-old homicide — but they are also appealing for more help from the public. Constable Tania Visintin (VIZ’-in-teen) says officers have issued another appeal for witnesses to the April 16, 2019 shooting of Manoj Kumar. The 30-year-old — who police said has no obvious links to a criminal lifestyle — was sitting in his parked S-U-V in a Kitsilano neighbourhood when someone fired several shots through the driver’s side window, killing him. The attacker fled before police arrived but Visintin says detectives believe there are people who have information about the case and they are urging them to share those details on the second anniversary of Kumar’s slaying.
The province has announced a major funding boost for provincial parks as they see surging visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Environment Minister George Heyman says B-C Parks will receive 83-million dollars over three years for new campsites and to expand trails and accessibility. Last year was record-breaking for camping reservations and the province is prioritizing campsite bookings for B-C residents this year until July 8th. Heyman says about 185 camping sites are expected to be added to BC parks this year.