Kamloops home raided by heavily-armed officers in midst of gang conflict

Police searched another Kamloops home Thursday evening after heavily armed officers got access.

It comes amid a detachment crackdown on local gangs following an escalation of violence between at least two organizations.

An armoured vehicle and heavily armed police showed up to a duplex at 1657 Tranquille Road around 6:30 p.m., where neighbours were promptly told to get inside as more officers arrived on scene.

Neighbours told iNFOnews.ca they heard what sounded like a stun grenade or flash bang as police got into the house. Those who spoke to iNFOnews.ca did not see if anyone was arrested.

By about 8 p.m., plainclothes officers could be seen scouring the house, where the front door had been heavily damaged and a front deck guard rail was nearly torn off.

Officers at the scene would not comment on what happened, directing questions to the detachment's communications department.

Neighbours also said the home recently had new tenants, whom they were not familiar with. Two neighbours, who were watching as police searched the house, said the new tenants were supposed to be two women.

Roughly a month ago, four men instead moved in and they did not see the women.

Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Crystal Evelyn said the Emergency Response Team was called in for the "high-risk" search. She wouldn't say what prompted the search or whether anything was seized. She did, however, confirm that no one was arrested.

— This story was updated with a response from Kamloops RCMP at 11:43 a.m., May 10, 2024.

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