A Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillor says police have kept residents in the dark after two shootings happened on the same street in Sydney Mines, N.S., last month.
Gordon MacDonald, who represents the area on CBRM council, said he learned about the second shooting when he read about it in the Cape Breton Post newspaper on Saturday.
“I was quite surprised and shocked that this is the second time this happened in that residential area,” he said on Tuesday. “The concern for me as the resident councillor is what’s happening down in Sydney Mines, what’s happening on this street and why is there bullets flying around randomly at properties?”
The regional police issued a news release in early March after a home was struck by bullets fired from a car on Cottage Street.
But when another shooting was reported shortly after that on the same street, police did not tell area residents, the media or MacDonald.
He said that is unusual, because regional police usually alert local councillors about public safety issues in their districts.
MacDonald said he’s received a number of calls from area residents about the second incident, but he was unable to provide any information.
“Since we didn’t hear about it [from police], I’m hoping that it’s an isolated incident [like] they described the first one as.”
Police spokesperson Desiree Magnus confirmed that a second shooting occurred.
She said no one was available to provide details, but she said no one was hurt in the second incident and no property damage was evident.
MacDonald said police need to do a better job of communicating with the public when something serious happens. He’s asked Mayor Cecil Clarke to find out why neither he nor the public has been provided any details.
“A few people that I spoke to this morning … are concerned about what’s going on and how these things are happening without anybody knowing about them, and that seems to be the big concern right now.”
A fatal shooting occurred in Sydney’s Whitney Pier neighbourhood in February.
Increase in serious crime?
MacDonald said he’s not aware of any connection but said constituents are talking about what seems to be an increase in serious crime in the municipality.
Without information from the police, he said he cannot offer residents any comfort.
“I would just tell them to always be aware of what’s happening around them. Keep an eye on their doors and windows and, you know, just be wary of strangers driving on your street these days. It’s the way the world is at the moment.”
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