‘We believe these shootings are connected’: Police chief weighs in on latest gun violence that saw two homes fired at

Gun violence is high priority for London Police, as reported shootings this year are already ahead of last year. CTV’s Bryan Bicknell has more.

The London Police Service continues to investigate what it describes as two targeted shootings early Wednesday morning that happened in different neighbourhoods, but only minutes apart.

In both cases, no one was hurt, but bullets struck the front of homes.

“We saw more ambulance coming in this area, and we were like, ‘Oh my gosh did something else happen?’ We’re very on edge,” said Western University student Maggie Bernier, who lives in a student rental on Huron Street, just a few doors down from where one of the shooting incidents occurred.

“Because we live in a really busy neighbourhood, I guess. Like there’s so many students that live around here. It’s just kind of scary. I can’t believe this happened like a couple houses down from us. It could have been us,” said roommate Allison Brewer.

Police said at approximately 12:40 a.m. Wednesday officers responded to a 911 call on Huron Street near The Parkway.

They arrived to find multiple shots fired at a home.

At least four bullet holes can be seen in the front window of a small home near the west end of Huron Street.

Longtime area resident Rob McCrindell says he worries about illegal guns.

“What comes to mind is maybe we need a little stricter gun laws and should maybe be more careful in what we let into the country from across the borders, in terms of firearms,” he said.

Just 15 minutes before the Huron Street shooting incident police responded to reports of a shooting on Homestead Court, near Wonderland Road North and Gainsborough Road.

The front door of a home had been struck by gunfire multiple times.

Neighbour Niall Murray, who lives across the street, knew it was not vehicle backfire when he heard it.

“Because it was too repetitive and the staccato was very distinct. So not a backfire, so I figured, ‘Well, probably a gun. It’s somebody out there with a gun. Just stay where I am,’” he said.

Police have released security video from both locations showing a blue Honda Civic. It’s described as having no front license plate, and the front passenger headlight out.

Police Chief Thai Truong tells CTV News these shootings are not random.

“We believe that these shootings are connected. And we have a number of our officers in specialty units working around the clock on this shooting. And not just this shooting, but all shootings that we have. Gun violence in this city, it’s prioritized by our organization and by the leadership team here,” explained Truong.

The two shootings, both in busy neighbourhoods with families and students, brings the number of shooting incidents in London so far this year to 19. That compares to just 14 in all of 2024.

The Wednesday shootings have been assigned to LPS Major Crime Section and the Gangs and Guns Section.

No one was injured in either incident.

Anyone with information or video that could help is asked to contact police.