‘I was looking down the barrel of the gun pretty much, and then I started trying to get people out of the way in case he started shooting,’ witness says
Police reopened Dunlop Street just before noon on Sunday following an overnight downtown Barrie shooting.
A witness recounted the frantic moments that occurred just before a 30-year-old Barrie man was taken to a Toronto-area trauma centre in serious but stable condition after being shot just before 3 a. m.
Police report they were called at about 2:45 a. m. to Dunlop Street East, between Owen and Mulcaster streets, following reports of an altercation that happened outside a downtown nightclub.
The police have released images of a male suspect involved in the shooting and are asking for help from the public to identify him based on these images.
At 12:45 p. m. on Sunday, police communications coordinator Jennett Mays mentioned that the investigation is still ongoing and there is no new information available for the public at this time.
A local man who witnessed the shooting was deeply affected by what he saw.
“I panicked, but I was more worried about everybody else,” said John, who chose not to share his last name.
The 50-year-old described seeing around 100 people gathered outside one of the bars on Dunlop Street East after closing time.
“They all streamed outside. And then after gunfire erupted, the bouncer from The Queens nightclub opened the door and let several of us run back inside,” John recalled.
Before the shooting occurred, John noted that the victim was near the entrance of Philthy Philly’s Cheesesteaks and Poutinerie, right next to The Queens.
“He was arguing with a light-skinned guy wearing a black jacket, and then that guy stepped back a few feet and pulled out his gun waist high,” he explained.
John stated he was positioned behind the victim when the suspect initially drew his weapon and aimed it at him.
“I was looking down the barrel of the gun pretty much, and then I started trying to get people out of the way in case he started shooting,” he shared. “And then (the suspect’s) friends grabbed (him) and they ran east on Dunlop Street.”
He described seeing a brief fight start between “a few girls … and then shortly after heard a loud pop that sounded like gunfire – it had kind of muffled sound like fireworks.”
According to John, there was roughly three to five minutes between when the gun first appeared and when it went off.
“He had his gun out, acting threateningly toward them,” John said. “He brandished it as if to say ‘hey, I’m like some gangster or something; get back.’”
“I tried getting people to hide behind a brick wall away from where shots might be fired. And then like I mentioned earlier, some girls started fighting before you heard that pop,” he continued.
Panic ensued afterward according to John; multiple witnesses observed what happened as several girls could be seen sitting on a street corner “crying their eyes out.”
John approached one woman who turned out to be engaged to the victim.
“I had to hold her back so paramedics and police could do their job,” he stated. “I tried calming her down because they needed space to save his life.”
John watched as an officer applied bandages for both entrance wound on front side as well as exit wound in back area. Soon after this an ambulance arrived for transporting him into local hospital care
The local man accompanied fiancé along with friends over towards Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH).
“I stayed with them there until his young man’s parents showed up,” he explained.”
This morning’s police release confirmed this incident is isolated adding “they do not believe there’s any risk posed currently against public safety.”
If anyone has any information regarding this situation please reach out directly contacting major crime unit investigators via phone number 705-725-7025 ext. 2160.
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