Chase RCMP suspect a shooting and subsequent hit-and-run in the North Shuswap may be connected.

In the early morning hours of Thursday, Aug. 20, police received reports of a shooting and, shortly thereafter, a hit-and-run collision which left a motorcyclist with life-threatening injuries.

The RCMP received multiple reports of the shooting at approximately 3 a.m. on Aug. 20. A gunshot was fired and the man who was struck left the scene along Squilax Anglemont Road. Police located the injured man who was then transported to hospital for treatment. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

According to Sgt. Barry Kennedy, the commander of the Chase RCMP detachment, the investigation into the circumstances of the shooting is ongoing. He added that a suspect has been identified but not arrested yet, and police do not believe the shooting was a random incident.

鈥淥ur investigators have reason to believe the suspect and the victim were known to each other; therefore the public is not at risk,鈥� Kennedy said.

As police were looking into the shooting they heard about a serious motorcycle crash, also on Squilax-Anglemont Road. The rider of the motorcycle was rushed to hospital with what police called potentially life-threatening injuries.

Investigators have determined a second vehicle was involved in the collision and fled the scene. Police believe the second vehicle was a white Ford Explorer. They think it received damage to its front end which would have made it difficult to drive far from the scene.

The area was searched by ground and air but the vehicle was not located.

Kennedy said police hadn鈥檛 ruled out the possibility the two incidents were connected.

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