Police in Durham Region are on the hunt for a male suspect who allegedly fired multiple gunshots into a residence in Whitby over the weekend.
Officers were called to a home in the area of Rivers Edge Place and Taunton Road East just after 10:30 p.m. on Sunday for reports of gunshots.
When they arrived at the scene, officers found several bullet holes at the residence. Police say no one was home at the time of the shooting and no injuries were reported.
“A male wearing dark clothing was seen fleeing the area in a white Mercedes SUV,” police said in a press release.
This is the region’s third shooting in less than a week.
On December 18, shots were fired at a home in Oshawa and a bullet was located in a child’s bedroom beneath their bed. The next day, two other residences in the area were also hit by gunfire. However, no injuries were reported.
A woman and her husband told CityNews the pair were jolted by the sound of gunfire just after 1 a.m. on Thursday. She said it was so loud they thought something had collapsed in their basement. Ten minutes later, they heard sirens blaring.
“When we looked down, there were pylons marked down there,” she said. “We could see police going door to door with their flashlights. It was really scary. We couldn’t sleep after that.”
DRPS Police Chief Peter Moreira commented on the Whitby shooting incidents, saying the police force is “committed to dedicating more resources [aimed at] preventing and investigating gun-related crimes.”
“Each illegal gun we take off the streets prevents untold numbers of shootings and victimization. If you know where illegal guns are located, call DRPS or Crime Stoppers.”
Police say there have been at least seven shootings in the region since December 12. It is unclear if any of the incidents are connected.
Investigators are encouraging anyone with information to contact police.
With files from CityNews Toronto’s Lucas Casaletto and Shauna Hunt.
