Video footage obtained by CTV captured the chilling moment when two masked assailants, traveling in a white vehicle, pulled up behind a black vehicle before rushing towards it and opening fire. The intended target can be seen scrambling away amidst the gunfire, which erupted on Saturday afternoon around 5:40 p.m.

VPD Sgt. Steve Addison, speaking at a briefing on Sunday, described the footage as “chilling,” emphasizing the fortunate absence of casualties. “It’s a miracle that no one was injured; it’s a miracle that nobody was killed,” he remarked, highlighting the pandemonium that ensued with people seeking cover and fleeing for their lives.

Although investigators have identified the target, they are withholding specific details, noting only that he emerged unscathed despite the perilously close proximity to the gunfire. It is believed that he was deliberately singled out by the gunmen and is allegedly tied to gang-related activities. The only reported casualties from the incident were two dogs, presumed to be the sole occupants of the vehicle alongside the target.

The timing of the shooting added to the chaos, with Vancouver’s mayor and thousands of others present in the downtown area, including attendees of a nearby Whitecaps game scheduled for 7 p.m. The heightened police presence, deployed for the game, protests, and the usual Saturday night revelry in the Granville entertainment district, facilitated swift response to the shooting.

“We have a lot to work with here: lots of witnesses, lots of bystander video, lots of information to work with,” stated Addison, underscoring the substantial investigative resources available. He expressed anticipation that the incident aligns with the enduring gang conflict in the Lower Mainland, suggesting the likelihood of retaliatory actions in the near future, whether within Vancouver or elsewhere.

After three years of health struggles, Aya was finally diagnosed with gastroparesis, a chronic condition that weakens stomach muscles, causing delayed digestion. The delayed diagnosis has not only impacted Aya’s physical health but also deprived her of years of potential treatment and management strategies. The condition requires a controlled diet and medications to alleviate symptoms.

Aya’s family doctor referred her to a gastroenterologist at BC Children’s Hospital, but the prolonged waiting period for the consultation added to the challenges she faced. The delayed diagnosis raises concerns about the effectiveness and efficiency of the healthcare system in addressing urgent cases, especially those involving pediatric patients.

Dr. Steven Miller, the head of pediatrics at BC Children’s Hospital, acknowledged the challenges and expressed apologies to families experiencing delays in care. He emphasized efforts to hire more physicians and strengthen partnerships with community-based providers to improve the system’s responsiveness.

Aya’s case underscores the importance of timely and accurate diagnoses, especially for chronic conditions, and highlights the need for improvements in the healthcare system to address the unique challenges faced by pediatric patients.

Tragically, Sophia was airlifted to St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver on her second visit and died two days later from sepsis on November 26, 2023. The infection had taken over her body by the time it was correctly identified. Sophia’s family, friends, and employer believe her death was preventable and have filed patient care complaints.

Paul Manly, the executive director of the shelter where Sophia worked, and her mother, Melonie, emphasize the need for accountability in her case. Patient care complaints have been filed with the College of Surgeons and Physicians and Island Health. The government and health officials acknowledge the seriousness of the case, with Premier David Eby stating that having a family doctor or nurse practitioner is crucial for proper care.

Conservative MLA Bruce Banman raised concerns about the overall health-care system in British Columbia during question period. Health Minister Adrian Dix acknowledged Sophia’s case as serious and mentioned an independent review process to bring answers and seek improvement in the system. The province claims to have hired 700 new family doctors in the past year to address healthcare needs.

Sophia’s tragic death has sparked calls for changes in the health-care system, with her family advocating for improvements to prevent similar incidents. They emphasize the importance of having a family doctor for regular and attentive care, expressing their hope for positive changes to avoid future tragedies.

Cranbrook: Exceeded its 1931 record high for January 29, with the temperature rising from 10.6°C to 10.8°C.
Esquimalt (Vancouver Island): Broke the 1931 record of 13.3°C, reaching 15.3°C.
Vancouver (Lower Mainland): Reached 14.3°C, surpassing the 1940 record of 13.3°C.
Richmond (Lower Mainland): Hit 14.4°C, breaking the same 1940 record.
Other maximum temperature records broken or tied on Monday, according to Environment Canada’s preliminary data, include:

Abbotsford area: New record of 18.2°C, old record of 15.6°C set in 1960
Bella Bella area: New record of 13.3°C, old record of 13°C set in 1998
Cache Creek area: Tied its 1989 record of 14°C
Clinton area: New record of 10.3°C, old record of 6.8°C set in 2012
Comox area: New record of 13.3°C, old record of 12°C set in 2018
Courtenay area: New record of 13.3°C, old record of 12°C set in 2018
Dawson Creek area: New record of 15.1°C, old record of 13.3°C set in 1934
Dease Lake area: New record of 8.7°C, old record of 5°C set in 2022
Fort Nelson area: New record of 13.5°C, old record of 6°C set in 2007
Fort St. John area: New record of 12.8°C, old record of 10.5°C set in 1993
Gibsons area: New record of 16.2°C, old record of 10.5°C set in 1993
Gonzales Point area: New record of 15.3°C, old record of 13.3°C set in 1931
Kamloops area: New record of 11.8°C, old record of 11°C set in 1988
Mackenzie area: New record of 9.3°C, old record of 5.1°C set in 2009
Malahat area: New record of 14.2°C, old record of 12.6°C set in 1992
Merritt area: New record of 12.7°C, old record of 12°C set in 1989
Osoyoos area: New record of 12.4°C, old record of 11.7°C set in 1974
Penticton area: New record of 12.8°C, old record of 11.1°C set n 1974
Port Hardy area: New record of 13.3°C, old record of 12°C set in 1998
Powell River area: New record of 12.8°C, old record of 12.2°C set in 1931
Prince Rupert area: New record of 12.6°C, old record of 12.2°C set in 1935
Puntzi Mountain area: New record of 10.6°C, old record of 10°C set in 2009
Sechelt area: New record of 16.2°C, old record of 11°C set in 1995
Sparwood area: New record of 10°C, old record of 7.2°C set in 1976
Summerland area: New record of 12°C, old record of 11.1°C set in 1953
Terrace area: New record of 9.5°C, old record of 7.5°C, set in 1993
Victoria area: Tied its 1995 record of 13.1°C
Victoria Harbour, Hartland, and university areas: New record of 15.3°C, old record of 13.3°C set in 1931
West Vancouver area: New record of 17.3°C, old record of 14°C set in 1998

New records for the highest minimum daily temperature include:

Abbotsford area – new record of 8.4 C, old record of 7.2 C set in 1976
Agassiz area – new record of 8.9 C, old record of 7.2 C set in 1940
Bella Bella area – new record of 10.7 C, old record of 7 C set in 1998
Campbell River area – new record of 9.6 C, old record of 6.5 C set in 1995
Comox area – new record of 9.7 C, old record of 7.7 C set in 1998
Pitt Meadows area – new record of 10.3 C, old record of 7.2 C set in 1935
Prince Rupert area – new record of 9.7 C, old record of 7.2 C set in 1940
Vancouver area – new record of 11.7 C, old record of 7.4 C set in 1992
Victoria Hartland area – new record of 10 C, old record of 8.5 C set in 1998

Eby acknowledged the mistake, stating that it was promptly noticed and removed but emphasized that it should not have occurred. The original post included a link to Eby’s accurate statement for Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The incident gained attention when Andrew Reeve, press secretary for the BC United Opposition leader, shared a screenshot of the initial post from Eby’s account, highlighting the misdirected message.

Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed on January 29, coincides with the anniversary of the 2017 deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque. Further screenshots revealed a separate post from Eby’s Instagram account paying tribute to those killed in the mosque attack.

In his apology on X, Eby expressed regret for any pain caused by the mistake and acknowledged the distraction from the significance of the day. He underscored the importance of Holocaust education and noted the B.C. government’s commitment to making it mandatory for all high school students in collaboration with the Jewish community.

Eby’s actual statement for Holocaust Remembrance Day addressed the recent violence against Jewish people, emphasizing the commitment to Holocaust education in the province. Eby’s press secretary, Jimmy Smith, did not respond to inquiries about the social media error.

BC Emergency Health Services swiftly responded, deploying primary care, advanced care, and critical care paramedics, along with three air ambulances and five ground ambulances. Four critically injured patients were treated at the scene and transported to Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace.

The severity of the situation prompted Mills Memorial Hospital to declare a Code Orange, indicating a response to mass casualty incidents. Northern Health issued a statement expressing condolences and gratitude to the hospital staff for their rapid and compassionate response.

As investigations into the crash’s cause are underway, Northern Escape Heli-Skiing commits to close collaboration with authorities, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The entire community is grappling with the profound sorrow caused by this tragic event.

The job action is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 8 a.m. with an overtime ban affecting all operations in the Coast Mountain system.

CUPE 4500, representing over 180 transit workers, expressed disappointment with the lack of progress in negotiations and emphasized their willingness to negotiate a fair collective agreement to avoid service disruptions.

The last collective agreement expired on December 31, 2022. Michael McDaniel, the president and general manager of Coast Mountain Bus Company, urged the union to return to the bargaining table to finalize a deal and stated that they do not anticipate the planned overtime ban to impact transit services at this time.

Approximately 300,000 people per day use TransLink’s bus service across the Lower Mainland.

Lisa Batstone was serving an indeterminate life sentence since September 2019. The B.C. Court of Appeal rejected her appeal for a reduced sentence in May 2022, following an earlier attempt to overturn her conviction in October 2021.

The Correctional Service of Canada is reviewing the circumstances of her death.

Teagan’s body was discovered in the back of a car in South Surrey on Dec. 10, 2014. The B.C. Supreme Court judge found that Lisa Batstone intended to smother her daughter before a failed suicide attempt, driven by a selfish desire to hurt her ex-husband and prevent Teagan from being with him after her death.

Despite suffering from mental health issues, the judge concluded that Lisa Batstone’s actions were not significantly mitigated by her conditions, and she attempted to shift blame in notes and lies to psychiatrists.

The motorcycle owner, identified as 66-year-old Roy Heide, had a well-documented history of prohibited and impaired driving offenses. Upon police arrival, a passenger of the motorcycle was being treated for serious injuries, while Heide attempted to flee but was identified with the help of witnesses.

Heide was subsequently arrested for driving while prohibited and detained for an impaired driving investigation. His blood alcohol content was found to be more than two times the legal limit. On December 18, 2023, Heide pleaded guilty to impaired driving, driving while disqualified, and driving while prohibited, resulting in a total sentence of four years and 354 days in jail.

The Abbotsford Police Department expressed deep concern over the 21st conviction for impaired driving, emphasizing the potential devastating consequences of such actions on innocent road users. Sergeant Paul Walker highlighted the ongoing efforts of frontline officers in enforcing impaired driving laws, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to driving while impaired. In 2022, 870 impaired drivers were removed from Abbotsford roadways, and in 2023, nearly 800 impaired drivers have already been taken off the streets.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the persistent issue of impaired driving, prompting authorities to encourage community members to report possible impaired drivers to the police.

The HeliJet flight departed Vancouver’s harbour at 9:11 a.m. and was midway through its routine traverse from the B.C. mainland to Vancouver Island when the strike occurred, HeliJet president and CEO Daniel Sitnam told CTV News.

Two of the helicopter’s four tail rotor blades were shorn from the aircraft as it flew approximately 1,280 metres (4,200 feet) above sea level over the southern Gulf Islands.

Despite the damage, the helicopter landed safely in Victoria, and all 12 passengers were medically cleared before departing. The two pilots were also checked over and are physically unharmed, according to the company.

“Both crewmembers are in good shape,” Sitnam said. “They’re back in Vancouver right now. They obviously have the day off and more as they require.”

The Helijet president, who is a helicopter pilot himself, said he is proud of the two-pilot crew for their handling of the “extremely rare” incident.

“It would be a very challenging circumstance for a crewmember on the aircraft,” he said.

“One can imagine possibly a loud bang would be heard – a flash of lightning – as if you maybe saw God. From there on, it’s difficult to ascertain what would happen going forward other than managing yourself and going through all the training procedures.”

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says it has been notified and is currently collecting data on the incident.

The Sikorsky S-76 helicopter will remain at the Victoria heliport until the safety board clears it for removal to the company’s facility at the Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C.

The region where the lightning strike was reported was under a special weather statement at the time, as Environment and Climate Change Canada warned of heavy rains and high winds over the southern Gulf Islands.

Nonetheless, Sitnam says the air carrier’s executive team found no reports of lightning activity in the area prior to the strike or after.

“We have identified there was no lightning in the air everywhere on the South Coast other than this unusual lightning strike that happened to us,” he said. “So we are kind of scratching our heads over that one. It’s kind of a needle-in-the-haystack scenario from our standpoint.”