“Saturday night's shooting of two men in a public and popular area of Kelowna is very distressing and concerning. Incidents like this put the lives of innocent people and our first responders at risk and are not acceptable.
“Thankfully, gun violence is extremely rare in Kelowna.
“The RCMP have indicated this event was targeted among people known to each other. I have full confidence in the RCMP as they continue to investigate this matter thoroughly to ensure justice and community safety are upheld.
“I would like to thank RCMP and emergency services for their quick actions Saturday night.
“Community safety is a top Council priority – that’s why we invest more than 30% of all tax dollars into Police and Bylaw Services. At $43.6 million, this represents our largest operating investment in 2021.
“Since 2018, we have hired 30 RCMP officers, 26 RCMP support staff, 6 Bylaw officers, 2 Bylaw support staff and a Community Safety Director. We will continue to make investments in public safety to ensure our city remains one of the best places in the country to live and to visit.
“We are a vibrant, healthy community and our citizens do believe Kelowna is a safe city overall. In the 2020 Citizen Survey, 87% said they felt safe in Kelowna.
“As a City we will also continue to invest in strategies that connect young people to health, education, and employment and partner with our community to support violence prevention programs.”