Manitoulin man in serious condition after gun discharged

OPP NEWS RELEASES

************************ Manitoulin OPP investigating gunshot incident

Manitoulin man in serious condition after firearm incident

On Saturday August 8 at 7:18 p.m., Manitoulin OPP received a call from the Manitoulin Ambulance Service requesting assistance to attend an emergency call.

A woman had called the ambulance advising that her husband had just received a gunshot wound while at their cottage located on Bedford Island which is located about seven kilometres west of Little Current.

The marine unit of the OPP was dispatched and transported paramedics to the island where the man was located in serious condition.

He was transported back to Little Current aboard the OPP vessel and then transported by air ambulance to Sudbury where he remains in serious condition.

Manitoulin OPP officers along with the Manitoulin Crime Unit and Forensic Identification Unit are currently investigating the incident.

The couple was alone on the island at the time of the incident.

************************* Manitoulin OPP respond to calls of service over holiday weekend

During the holiday weekend from Friday July 31 to Monday August 3, Manitoulin OPP officers were busy responding to calls for service.

Over the three-day weekend, OPP responded to 187 calls for service, reports Constable Allan Boyd, community services officer with the Manitoulin OPP.

Holiday weekend is our busiest time of the year and with the amount of people attending the island reflects the needs for police assistance and response.

Out of the 187 calls island-wide, 118 were in the Little Current area during the Haweater Weekend festivities.

Haweater draws crowds of upwards to five to ten thousand people with all the great events that weekend has to offer.

With this amount of people, the calls for service definitely increase, however I am pleased to report that no major incidents took place and we had no alcohol-related motor vehicle collisions.

The following is a break down for the calls for service:

Trouble with youth - 17 calls Unwanted persons - 4 calls Noise complaints - 5 calls Domestic disputes - 4 calls Break & enters - 1 call Thefts - 2 calls False alarms - 10 calls Motor vehicle collisions - 12 calls Persons reporting (bail) - 2 calls Suspicious persons - 5 calls Attempt suicide - 2 calls Traffic complaints - 8 calls Disturb the peace - 4 calls Police assistance - 10 calls Assaults - 5 calls Sexual assaults - 3 calls Counterfeit money - 1 call 911 false calls - 7 calls Trespass to property - 3 calls Stolen vehicles - 3 calls Highway Traffic Act - 4 calls Impaired drivers - 3 calls Police information - 5 calls Mischief - 3 calls Suspicious vehicles - 1 call Bail violations - 2 calls Drugs - 1 call Missing persons - 2 calls Fire - 2 calls Traffic hazards - 1 call Harassment complaints - 1 call Mental Health Act - 2 calls Found property - 3 calls Threatening calls - 1 call Liquor Licence Act - 48 calls

Total calls for service - 187 over a 72-hour period.

************************* Vehicle break-ins lead to stolen vehicles

On Saturday August 8 at 10:03 a.m., Manitoulin OPP officers received calls advising of vehicle break-ins on Campbell Street in Little Current.

Sometime over night someone had entered a number of vehicles with possible intention of stealing a vehicle.

These vehicles were unlocked and the first one with keys in it was stolen.

The vehicle was ditched a short distance later where another truck was entered and taken with keys in it.

The culprit was observed and through an investigation identity of the suspect was learned.

As a result of this investigation a local male youth has been charged with two counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

He was later released with conditions to appear in Gore Bay Youth Court to answer to the charges.

The name of the youth cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Constable Allan Boyd, community services officer for the Manitoulin OPP, advises that a number of these crimes can be prevented if opportunity is not present.

It is great that many people feel safe enough to leave there vehicles unlocked and keys in it, however this only assists in the temptation of committing this type of crime.

Many of the persons responsible for the thefts of items from a vehicle or the vehicle themselves don't have the means to steal it if the vehicle was locked and the keys taken.

It is a simple thing people can do by locking your vehicle and taking the keys with you.

If the opportunity does not exist then the changes of it happening are greatly reduced.

It is plain and simple: lock it or lose it.

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