Pulse FM News Update for Wednesday, July 7

A five-year-old child is dead and their mother was assaulted in what’s believed to be a case of domestic violence in Surrey Monday, including a stabbing and house fire. Mounties say officers were called to a home in the area of 154 Street and 94 Avenue just after 9 p.m. for reports a woman had been stabbed. RCMP say the woman is the child’s mother and she was able to escape and get help. Police say the suspect reportedly set the home on fire before leaving in a red Subaru. “The woman in this situation was able to escape. Sadly, her child was left behind and later located deceased inside the residence, The five-year-old’s cause of death is currently under investigation. About a half hour later, around 9:40 p.m., RCMP says Mounties in Coquitlam received a report a man was seen jumping from the Port Mann Bridge. This man is presumed dead. He is believed to be the lone suspect in the stabbing and fire. His vehicle was found on the bridge, but his body has not yet been located. RCMP don’t believe this was a random act. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has been called in. Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at IHIT

Vancouver police chief Adam Palmer says the man accused of stabbing two police officers in the city’s Chinatown neighbourhood has a long history with law enforcement. Authorities say the incident began when someone reported a two-year-old child was being forcibly confined at a residential building near Keefer Street and Gore Avenue. Three officers and the suspect were injured during the confrontation. Palmer says the officers made a split-second decision to put themselves in harm’s way

B-C’s premier says seeing the first-hand destruction of the village of Lytton was a moving experience. John Horgan says he and a small group of fellow politicians flew over the scene Tuesday, getting their first look at the damage caused by a wildfire last week. The B-C Wildfire Service says more than 200 wildfires are burning in British Columbia after a series of thunderstorms swept over several parts of the province

B-C ‘s Supreme Court is expected to release a decision today on how long it will be before the man who killed a 13-year-old girl and injured her friend at a high school in Abbotsford will stay in prison before he is eligible for parole. Gabriel Klein will serve a life sentence for the second-degree murder of Letisha Reimer and the aggravated assault of her friend in November 2016. Last month, the Crown argued that Klein should serve at least 18 years before he can apply for release, while his lawyer says parole eligibility should be set at 12 years. Klein will also be given the chance to address the victims’ friends and family at today’s hearing.

Some Canadians are experiencing intense reactions after a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and immunologists say that’s to be expected. Steven Kerfoot with Western University says normal side effects including fever, soreness and headache can feel more intense following the second dose because our immune system has already produced antibodies from the first jab. Kerfoot says the absence of a reaction doesn’t necessarily signify a weak immune system or an ineffective vaccine, and people who don’t have side effects should still be “very confident” the shot worked.

As the province remains tinder dry and BC Wildfire Service battles hundreds of wildfires, it appears not all British Columbians are getting the message about fire risks. A campfire ban was put into effect in late June as the wildfire season came into full force. According to an environment ministry spokesperson, 22 violation tickets were written province-wide for campfire ban violations between July 1 to 4. That is $25,300 in fines issued over this time period. The regions with the most violation tickets written were the South Coast and the Kootenays, according to the spokesperson. No specific breakdown has been released. To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation, call *5555 on a cell phone.

Homeowners are making a splash this summer as they use their swimming pools to earn some extra cash with the help of a new app. People are posting their private pools and backyards for rent on various buy-and-sell sites such as Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace. Swimply started in the United States three years ago and started to see uptake in Canada after the start of the pandemic.

A 61-year-old semi-retired trucker from Kamloops has claimed 35-million dollars in a Lotto Max draw. Gary Hill says he collapsed on his bed and cried for 15 minutes when he found out he had one of two winning tickets for the 70-million-dollar jackpot in the June 22nd draw. Hill says he then promptly called his mother to share the news. He says he wants to use his winnings to travel to Denmark and give some money to family.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is not in election campaign mode as he makes announcements in Western Canada, including a light rail transit project in Calgary. The prime minister says the announcements have been in the works for a long time. But Trudeau added that he hopes Canadians will allow him to lead for some time to come. Political watchers expect Trudeau to call a snap election as soon as next month.

B-C is reporting 59 new cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths. Health officials say there are currently 624 active cases in the province. Eighty-six people are in hospital, including 20 in intensive care. COVID-19 vaccinations have edged up with 78.2 per cent of residents aged 12 and older receiving their first dose and 38.2 per cent getting their second shot.

An international group of scientists says the record-breaking heat wave in Western Canada could not have happened without climate change. The World Weather Attribution group says in a new report that such dangerous weather is likely to happen in the future every five to 10-years — even if the world meets its greenhouse gas reduction targets. Part of British Columbia recently saw temperatures soar past 45 degrees. The extreme heat contributed to hundreds of deaths and preceded a wildfire that destroyed much of the village of Lytton, B-C.