Police take down armed man wearing body armour after shootings in Fort St. John, B.C.

FORT ST. JOHN — Police say a 22-year-old man has been charged over a string of gun-related incidents in Fort St. John, B.C., where he was allegedly found wearing body armour and carrying a loaded gun, prompting a “take-down” arrest.

Mounties in the city in northeastern B.C. say officers responded to a shots-fired report on 96th Avenue in the early hours of Wednesday, finding one person had been injured by gunfire while another appeared to be unharmed.

Police issued a statement saying it marked the third shooting in a week, a spate of violence Mounties connected to gang conflict in the region.

Later that same morning, RCMP say members of the street enforcement team conducted a “take-down” arrest of a man linked to the recent uptick in shootings.

Police say officers searched a home linked to the man, seizing a shotgun and 3D-printed handgun as well as drug-trafficking paraphernalia.

They say the man faces charges including assault, uttering threats, unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm, altering a firearm serial number, possessing body armour without a permit and breaching a release order.

The man remains in custody with a court appearance set for Nov. 3.

Sgt. Ian Rissanen says the recent shootings are connected to ongoing gang conflict in Fort St. John, across the region and “interprovincially.”

He says the violence appears to be driven by disputes related to the sale and purchase of illicit drugs and “efforts by groups to assert control.”

While the incidents have been targeted, he says gunfire puts the public at risk.

“Although we can only share limited information while investigations are ongoing, any details that could enhance public safety will be communicated promptly.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2025.