The shooter and one victim is dead following a late-night shooting with multiple victims on Bradshaw Drive in Stratford Aug. 1, according to Stratford police.
As of Aug. 2 at press time, police were investigating the shooting as a homicide, which involved multiple victims on Bradshaw Drive and McCarthy Road West.
At approximately 10:45 p.m. on Aug. 1, police received multiple 911 calls regarding gun shots that had been fired in the area. Police arrived and found four victims of gunshot wounds. Two victims have passed away as a result of their injuries and two others were transported to Victoria Hospital in London by ORNGE Air Ambulance after being treated initially by paramedics on scene.
In a second press release issued later in the day Aug. 2, police say officers arrived on scene and found four people had suffered gunshot wounds. One person was found deceased at the scene while a second was transported to Stratford General Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The two other victims were transported to Victoria Hospital in London by ORNGE Air Ambulance for treatment. One victim remains in life-threatening condition while the second is receiving treatment for a life-altering injury.
The investigation into this matter revealed that the subject, who was identified by police as Ricky Bilcke, age 31, opened fire and shot the three victims after being involved in an ongoing neighbour dispute before ending his own life.
Police say the shooter initially opened fire from across the road with a high-powered rifle and struck the first victim, Jonathan Bennett, 36, who was later pronounced dead at hospital. The
shooter then accessed a shotgun and walked into the roadway where he shot the second victim, David Tokley, 43, who is currently in hospital receiving treatment for life-threatening injuries. The third victim, Stephanie Irvine, exited her residence and was targeted and shot by the shooter.
Police say several other shots were fired by the shooter during the course of Bilcke’s assault against the three victims before he completed his attack by turning the gun on himself and ending his own life.
The Stratford Police Service closed down the area where the attack occurred in order to conduct the investigation into this matter. This area will remain closed to the public as some aspects of the investigation remain ongoing.
The Stratford Police Service expressed condolences to the victims, their families, loved ones and all others impacted by this incident.
Police say they are aware of numerous videos of the incident that have been posted to social media. Out of respect to the victims of this incident and the trauma this has caused to all people involved, police are asking that those videos be removed. Anyone with video of the incident is being asked by police to forward that video to the Stratford Police Service at https://StratfordPolice.ca.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/st24013979.
Commentaires