One arrested, three sought in shooting at London apartment: Police

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London police have arrested one suspect and are searching for three others who forced their way into an apartment unit where one of the suspects fired a gun.

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No one was injured in the break-in that occurred Nov. 19 and was disclosed by police on Tuesday.

Three men entered an apartment building on Simcoe Street in the SoHo neighbourhood at about 5:35 p.m. on Nov. 19, police said, and forced their way into a unit.

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When the people inside the unit confronted the intruders, “one of the men pointed a firearm at them before firing the gun inside the apartment,” police said.

The people in the unit called 911 and provided a description of the men as they ran away, police said.

Police did not identify the building, but a spokesperson for London and Middlesex Community Housing confirmed the shooting took place at 241 Simcoe St., a 12-storey highrise it operates.

“Things like this don’t just happen at community housing,” Matt Senechal said. “They can happen anywhere within the city. So it’s unfortunate when it does happen at one of our sites or buildings.

“When a serious incident like this happens, it’s very obviously concerning to the tenants and staff and everyone involved, and really what we can do is best support the ongoing police investigation, as well as our tenants and staff.”

Officers were not able to locate the suspects in the aftermath of the break-in, but investigators with the force’s street crime unit reviewed video surveillance and obtained images of the three suspects who appear to be 25 to 35 years old, police said.

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One suspect is a tall white man with medium build and a light-coloured goatee. He carried a grey cross-body bag and was wearing a black hooded sweater, black New Balance jacket, ripped blue jeans and black Nike shoes with white soles and a white Nike symbol.

The second suspect is described as an Indigenous man with black facial hair on his chin and a thin black moustache. He has a larger build and average height. He wore a black or dark navy “Jordan” hooded sweater, black pants and grey running shoes with white laces and soles.

The third suspect is a white man who walks with a slight lean to his right. He wore grey jeans with red markings on the inside of the pant legs below the knee, a black jacket with red inner lining and black high-top sneakers.

A 39-year-old London man, described by police as a fourth suspect, was arrested Tuesday morning at a residential complex in the area of Wellington Road and Simcoe Street.

He’s charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, discharging a firearm with intent to wound and endanger life or prevent arrest, and breaking in with intent, police said. The man remains in custody and was scheduled to appear in London court on Tuesday.

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Police warned the suspects are considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. Anyone who sees them is advised to call 911.

Investigators are asking members of the public who may have been in the 200 block of Simcoe Street between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Nov. 19, who may have dash-cam, residential or business video surveillance that could assist with the investigation to call London police at 519-661-5670.

The shooting is the ninth in London this year and the second this week. More than a dozen shots were fired early Monday at the back entrance to an unlicensed cannabis dispensary at 264 Dundas St.

bbaleeiro@postmedia.com

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