Campbell caught in downtown Vancouver gun drama
Campbell caught in downtown Vancouver gun drama
By Andy Ivens, Canwest News Service May 5, 2009
Premier Gordon Campbell had an unscripted moment in his election campaign Monday afternoon, when a robbery suspect with a gun passing by caused his bodyguards to rush him to cover.
“RCMP did what they were trained to do and whisked him away,” said Campbell’s press secretary Bridgitte Anderson.
Campbell was in the middle of an interview with Vancouver Sun columnist Miro Cernetig when he was rushed to cover.
Cernetig reported a woman with a gun ran by the front of the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel before hopping into a cab.
One of the bodyguards ordered Campbell into a corner of the empty dining room off the hotel lobby, where he hid behind a wall, said Cernetig.
He was followed a few moments later by Cernetig and Anderson.
Within a minute, Campbell’s bodyguards ushered the premier, who did not appear rattled, to a service elevator, reported Cernetig.
Vancouver police responded to a call of a robbery at Montecristo Jewellers in the 800-block of West Hastings Street around 4:36 p.m., Const. Lindsey Houghton told The Province.
“At least one person entered the store,” said Houghton, media liaison for the Vancouver Police Department.
“Right now, it’s unclear whether a weapon was intimated or actually produced.
“They were able to obtain a fairly significant quantity of merchandise.
“No one was hurt. They fled the store,” said Houghton.
One of the suspects walked a few short blocks away and got into a Vancouver Taxi cab in front of the hotel.
But a witness to the robbery followed the suspect and called police, said Houghton.
VPD officers took the cab down at gunpoint a few blocks away at Thurlow and Cordova streets.
“We have one suspect in custody,” said Houghton, adding it was too soon to release a description of any other suspects.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/bcelection/Campbell+caught+downtown+Vancouver+drama/1563010/story.html
The Vancouver Sun
