Police in British Columbia are searching for a suspect after a bizarre shooting that left a cyclist with serious injuries during a 600-kilometre cycling event.
Lytton RCMP said the shooting happened at around 1 a.m. Sunday on Highway 1, near the community of Spences Bridge, B.C. Police say the shooting appears to be random.
"From all accounts, a completely innocent victim was assaulted with a firearm and injured seriously by an unknown suspect," RCMP Const. Kris Clark told CTV Vancouver on Sunday. "This is extremely unusual. It’s very concerning just simply from the random nature of this incident."
Event organizers have identified the victim as 59-year-old Craig Premack from Burnaby, B.C. He was transported to hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, after he was shot in the upper body. Police said the unknown suspect then fled the scene in a pickup truck.
Premack, who is expected to make a full recovery, was part of a tight-knit group of cyclists taking part in the Cache Creek 600. About 36 riders, including Premack, hit the road on Saturday just outside the Vancouver area. Similar events can take upward of 30 hours to complete.
According to the event itinerary, Spences Bridge was about 350 kilometres into the race, and riders were expected to stop and stay the night at a nearby inn.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Lytton RCMP at 250-455-2225 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222- 8477.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Scott Hurst
