Ottawa police seeing uptick in drive-by shootings, gangs from other regions settling disputes in the city

The Ottawa Police Service says its seeing an increase in shootings involving gangs coming from outside of the region.  

More gangs from northern and southern Ontario are doing business in Ottawa, and according to Chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board Diane Deans, they are settling their disputes in the city through drive-by shootings.

“[Local police are] noticing a trend of mobility and the use of vehicles, and that has been identified in a number of the shootings incidents that we're seeing here in Ottawa and across the province,” explains Deans.

Since many of the shootings involve non-residents, the board chair says police are having a harder time determining exactly where the suspects are coming from and when there could be another one.

There have already been 29 shootings in Ottawa in 2021, including four in last five days.

Deans is hoping to see activity eventually calm down, even though statistically she says Ottawa is still a very safe city.