Saint John police search for man wanted in connection with shooting

The Saint John Police Force is asking for the public’s help in locating a man wanted on a Canada-wide warrant in connection with a shooting incident in Saint John, N.B., over the weekend.

Police responded to a report of someone who was shot in the 10 block of Richmond Street just before 9 p.m. on Saturday.

When officers arrived, police say they located a 28-year-old man who had “allegedly been shot.”

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He was taken to hospital with serious injuries, according to a news release from police.

Police say a Canada-wide warrant was issued on Saturday for 21-year-old Rye Watt for being unlawfully at large. Saint John police staff sergeant Matthew Weir says the warrant was issued in relation to the shooting.

Weir says police do not believe there is a risk to the public at this time. It's uncertain if the victim and the suspect know each other.

“Any firearms-related offenses are something that are very concerning and we take very seriously," Weir says. "For that reason they're typically heavily resourced, especially at the front end, in an effort to gather as much information and evidence as possible. That’s important to we can quickly identify a suspect if possible and apprehend them.”

Police describe Watt as approximately five-foot-seven and 150 pounds. He has brown hair, thick eyebrows and a thin moustache/goatee.

Police say anyone who sees Watt should not approach him.

Derrick May, who lives behind Waterloo Village, says he was concerned but not surprised to hear about the incident in the area.

“It's very concerning because we've seen an upswing in violence, an upswing in crime, and these are vulnerable people that are doing this to each other," May says. “We need to do better for our most vulnerable people here, and we need people up at city hall to say tents are not a home for our most vulnerable.”

The force is looking for any witnesses to the incident or anyone in the area who has dash-cam or video surveillance of the incident at the time it happened.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Saint John Police Force at 1-506-648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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