NRP Chief: Niagara still ''an incredibly safe community''
Siobhan Morris, 610 CKTB News
8/1/2012
The Chief of Niagara Regional Police says despite a daytime shooting in Niagara Falls this week, ours is still "an incredibly safe community".
An 18-year-old was shot once in the chest Monday afternoon at the corner of Simcoe St & St. Lawrence Ave, 200m from an elementary school. The suspect in the case, 23-year-old Jordan Knott is still at large. He's considered armed & dangerous.
NRP Chief Jeff McGuire tells 610 CKTB's Tim Denis "these things are going to happen". But he points out this is the 1st local shooting he knows of since taking over the force in mid-June.
McGuire says there's no excusing what happened on Simcoe St Monday, but suggests there's comfort in knowing it wasn't a random attack.
The cop boss points out gun crimes & Niagara's violent crime index have dropped significantly in the last year.
Still McGuire says he & the rest of the NRP are very much a part of trying to keep American guns out of Canadian hands. Part of his role is to build on existing relationships with the Canada Border Services Agency, US Customs & the FBI.
RELATED:
Gun recovered in Niagara Falls shooting
Neighbours shaken by Niagara Falls shooting
Police ID suspect in Niagara Falls shooting
Falls mayor insists downtown is safe
Shooting in Niagara Falls