KITCHENER -- For the fifth time in just the last month, police were called to reports of gunshots in Waterloo Region.
Following an investigation, officials confirmed that gunshots were fired in a Kitchener neighbourhood early Thursday morning.
It’s the latest location in what's become a string of shooting incidents still under investigation.
Officers were called near Westwood Drive and Westmount Road at 5: 25 a.m. after receiving multiple reports of shots being fired.
Several police cruisers were seen on a section of the street that was cordoned off by police tape.
Police say there were no reports of injuries. They have not shared any information about possible suspects, although they say it is believed to be a targeted incident.
“The information that we've gathered up to this point has led investigators to believe that this is a targeted incident and that the parties are known to one another,” said Const. Ashley Dietrich.
The street was closed while officers investigated and officials said there would be an increased police presence in the area.
Police are asking anyone who may have seen anything suspicious around 5:25 a.m. to contact them. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers instead at 1-800-222-8477.
Investigations into four additional shootings over the past month in the region remain active. They include incidents on Speckled Alder Street in Waterloo, Apple Ridge Drive in Kitchener, and near Hume Drive in Cambridge.
In the fourth shooting, police say a fight between people in two vehicles led to shots being fired at Ottawa Street South and International Place, sending one person to hospital with injuries.
This also comes days after police reported that the region had seen an uptick in serious and violent crimes after an initial lull at the start of the pandemic.
At a media roundtable on Tuesday, Chief Bryan Larkin discussed a concerning trend this year.
Thursday’s incident brings the total number of shootings to 14.
