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Yaletown Shootings: Police Officer, Store Owner, Suspect All Injured

Police Officer, Store Owner, Suspect All Hurt In Yaletown Shootings

The busy Vancouver community of Yaletown was shaken by gunfire on Monday morning in a frenetic scene that ended with three people injured, including a police officer.

Shortly after 11 a.m., a 52-year-old man was shot outside the Starbucks on Davie Street near Marinaside Crescent. Paramedics rushed him to hospital where he is in stable but critical condition after surgery, said Vancouver police Const. Brian Montague.

"There was a guy on the floor and he was getting resuscitated, it looked like they were pumping his chest," Stefan Zubovic told The Huffington Post B.C. He ran down from his apartment when he heard four or five gunshots. "There was a lot of blood covering his chest and they just kept pumping and pumping."

Two police officers who happened to be nearby exchanged several shots with the 61-year-old suspect, said Montague. He then fled on a bicycle on along the seawall. Global News said the officers "commandeered two bikes" from people in the area and pursued the suspect.

When he reached a plaza near Science World, there was a second shootout with police. The suspect was shot and taken into custody. He is in serious condition in the hospital, where he remains under police guard.

Construction workers told CTV News they heard 10 to 12 gunshots.

A female patrol officer was hit by flying glass when the windows of a police car were shot out, said Montague. She suffered minor injuries.

Story continues after slideshow:

Yaletown Shooting, June 10, 2014

Witnesses and employees of Reckless Bike Stores identified the victim as Paul Dragan, owner of the business located across the street from the Starbucks, reported Metro News.

"I’m pretty stunned. This never happens in Yaletown," Duke Stevenson, who lives in a condo nearby, told the newspaper. "Everybody knows Paul. I see him everyday."

Popular educational centre Science World was locked down for about an hour with about 50 children and their parents inside. Visitors were told to get down on the ground when they heard shots fired, reported News 1130.

That part of Yaletown bustles with shoppers from the grocery store, joggers from the nearby seawall, and children from the school and community centre across the street.

"Very brazen act, no doubt about that," said Montague of the daytime attack. He said there were "hundreds of witnesses," and many have already offered photos and video from the scene.

"I've always felt safe here," Mary Zilba, who starred in "Real Housewives of Vancouver," told HuffPost B.C. "Our neighbourhood is so lovely and so quiet... I'm in complete shock."

Her son, Cole Anderson, was driving by with his brother when he saw the shooting. They called police and saw the victim being treated on the ground by Starbucks staff before paramedics arrived.

"This is something we’re not used to, and it really saddens me to see this activity is happening in our city," Anderson said.

In a strange coincidence, Mia Deakin, 28, who also appeared on the "Real Housewives of Vancouver," was injured in a drive-by shooting on Sunday evening. Her mother, Jody Claman, starred in the reality show with Zilba.

Deakin was standing at a gas station with a companion who has been identified as a gangster. That prompted Vancouver police to issue a warning to young women to stay away from criminals and men with gang ties.

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