Man shot in vehicle in Coquitlam, young son in backseat unharmed

A man has been discharged from the hospital after being shot in his vehicle with his nine-year-old boy, who was unharmed, in the backseat.

His injuries were non-life threatening, Coquitlam RCMP confirmed Monday in a press conference on the weekend attack.

The shooting happened at around 4:41 p.m. on Dec. 4 on Chickadee Place near Pinetree Way in Coquitlam. A silver sedan was seen leaving the area immediately afterward, police said.

Minutes later, Mounties received reports of an unoccupied silver four-door Infiniti sedan fully ablaze on Maude Court near Noons Creek Drive in Port Moody — about a 10-minute drive away.

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Firefighters extinguished the flames, but RCMP believe the suspicious fire is connected to the shooting.

“It is important to note, there remains insufficient evidence to rule out or link this incident to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict, but police do not believe this was a completely random attack,” said Cpl. Paige Kuz.

“We cannot draw inferences that this shooting was a case of mistaken identity, and the community should not draw inferences about the victim.”

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Kuz said the victim of the shooting is not known to police and is co-operating with the investigation.

Police are now asking any potential witnesses to the shooting or the fire, or anyone with relevant cell phone or dash cam footage to call 604-945-1550 and quote the file number, 2021-33948.