Kitchener neighbours shocked to learn they heard gunshots amid Victoria Day fireworks
Waterloo regional police say evidence of gunfire found in McLennan Park in Kitchener is connected to another shooting in the nearby area of Windflower Drive and Windflower Crescent. Both incidents took place Monday night on Victoria Day.
People who live in the area say it’s unusual and scary.
“Monday night about 10 p.m. because it’s a hot day, I open my window – I hear ‘bang-bang’ about twice,” said Thong Vo, who lives in the neighbourhood. “After that I look at the sky and thought ‘maybe it's a firecracker’ and after that, I hear nothing.”
Tanay Kashyav also heard it. He was taking out the trash on Monday night around 10:20 p.m. when he said he saw two males dressed in black.
“They shot off something that resembled a firework, it didn't really sound like a gun,” said Kashyav.
The sound of fireworks was expected on the Victoria Day holiday, so to find out what they heard was a gunshot is unsettling for people who live nearby.
"I was really really surprised to hear that because I’ve lived here many years,” said Kashyav. “I never heard a gunshot before. I heard fireworks, but never heard a gunshot before."
Police vehicles are seen at McLennan Park in Kitchener on May 24, 2022.
In a media release, Waterloo regional police said they were called to the area of Windflower Drive and Windflower Crescent for a report of damage at a home around 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
Inside, officers found damage to an interior wall and couch that was determined to have been caused by bullets.
Police also searched McLennan Park and found evidence that a firearm had been discharged there.
Police determined shots were fired at the park sometime between 10 p.m. on Monday and 12 a.m. on Tuesday as a group of people set off fireworks.
A short time later, a second set of shots were fired at a home in the area of Windflower Drive and Windflower Crescent.
“It’s kind of scary and stressful,” said Kashyav.
Vo said he feels “unsafe.”
Police believe the two incidents are related and were targeted shootings.
No injuries have been reported.
Police are asking anyone with information or surveillance footage to contact them.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Defeated and discouraged': Airport frustrations sour Canadians' summer travel plans
CTVNews.ca asked Canadians to share their travel horror stories as cancelled flights, delays and lost luggage throw a wrench in Canadians' summer travel plans, due in part to staffing shortages at Canadian airports. Some report sleeping at airports and others say it took days to get to or from a destination.

Gas prices see long weekend drop in parts of Canada, but analysts say relief not likely to last
The Canada Day long weekend saw gas prices plummet in parts of the country, but the relief at the pumps may not stay for very long, analysts say. The decreases come after crude oil prices slid in June following the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, sparking fears of a recession.
TD 'significantly' downgrades home sale, price forecasts
A new report from TD says Canadian home sales could fall by nearly one-quarter on average this year and remain low into 2023.
Anti-Taliban law could be tweaked to get more humanitarian aid to Afghans: minister
A law outlawing any dealings with the Taliban, which charities complain is impeding their ability to help needy Afghans, could be adjusted by the federal government to give more flexibility to aid agencies.
Biden intends to nominate a conservative, anti-abortion lawyer to federal judgeship, Kentucky Democrats say
U.S. President Joe Biden intends to nominate an anti-abortion Republican lawyer to a federal judgeship, two Kentucky Democrats informed of the decision say.
Russian forces press assault on eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk
Russian forces pounded the city of Lysychansk and its surroundings in an all-out attempt to seize the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province, the governor said Saturday.
'You do not want this' virus: California man with monkeypox urges others to get vaccinated
A California man has posted a widely-shared video in an attempt to educate people about the monkeypox virus outbreak, to encourage people to get vaccinated if they're eligible and to make it very clear: 'You do not want this.'
'Ungrading': How one Ontario teacher is changing her approach to report cards
An Ontario high school teacher plans to continue with an alternative method of grading her students after an experiment last semester in which students proposed a grade and had to justify it with examples of their work.
McDonald's Canada to end 'free hot drink' stickers on cups
The days of collecting stickers from cups and claiming a hot drink after purchasing six will soon be a thing of the past at McDonald’s Canada locations as of December 2023.