An investigation by Ladysmith RCMP is no closer to solving how the passenger side window of a Mercedes-Benz shattered following allegations of a BB gun possibly being fired at the car.
The incident occurred late Monday morning as a motorist was driving on the Trans-Canada Highway south of the intersection at Oyster Sto’Lo Road.
A picture provided to the Chronicle from the driver shows that the window was completely shattered with the origin point near the bottom left corner.
RCMP spoke with the motorist who initially claimed the glass broke while driving just north of town but couldn’t be specific to police on where exactly it happened.
Bob, whose last name is being withheld by the Chronicle, said he was travelling southbound on the highway when he heard a “pretty loud bang” but wasn’t sure at first that it the sound of his window breaking.
“It took me a few seconds to realize what had happened until I looked over at that window and saw it was shattered, then it all made sense,” he said.
His recollection on where it happened was only because of how quickly things happened.
“I’m still going down highway and then I slowed down so I could try and find a place to pull over safely,” Bob added.
Suspicious nonetheless, the RCMP constable checked a local logging road and spoke to a resident near where the incident occurred but found no conclusive evidence of anyone being in possession of a pellet gun.
Bob, who also owns a pellet gun, believes the pistol would have been high-velocity to strike a vehicle on the highway.
“If somebody is that stupid to shoot at someone on the highway, well, it could have been a really serious incident if it had hit me or had hit the windshield,” he said. “It would be nice to figure out whose these people are because that’s just reckless.”
RCMP Staff-Sgt Ken Brissard said nothing penetrated the window, which likely would have happened with a higher calibre pistol, but the damage to the window is similar to a BB gun.
“The area that the owner of the vehicle believes it happened was investigated and there was no evidence found to identify a suspect if indeed it was a BB that hit the car,” Brissard said, while noting that a rock may have could have caused similar damage although it would be uncommon given it was to the passenger side.
Last week, a teen was arrested in Nanaimo near Country Club Centre after a vehicle window was shot out.
Officers searched the E&N trail area for the gun and subsequently found the “black handgun-style BB gun” in the suspect’s backpack.
Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said the youth is suspected of shooting out windows at Country Club Centre, Rock City Plaza and the BMW Nanaimo car dealership.