By Mallory Clarkson/London Community News

During a media conference Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 11), London Police Chief Brad Duncan confirmed the victim of the recent shooting on Grey Street is a member of the Hells Angels; however, it wasn’t a rival motorcycle club behind the attack, as widely speculated, but rather members of a local street gang.

“As we continue the investigation, we are aware that the male victim, a member of the Hells Angles, has ongoing issues with local street gangs who are also known to police,” Duncan told reporters. “Clearly (street gangs) are associated to the drug trade, guns and firearms are involved, so they can be every bit as dangerous as the more traditional motorcycle clubs.”

Gunfire broke out just after midnight on Grey Street on Wednesday, sending a man and a women to the London Health Sciences Centre with non-life threatening injuries.

According to Duncan, police were present when the shooting occurred because, “Over the course of the last couple of days, we’ve heightened our presence in a number of areas and we were present for a specific reason.”

He added the two vehicles were involved in the incident — one leaving the scene and arriving at the hospital, the other fleeing and was abandoned in the Veteran’s Memorial Parkway and Admiral Drive area.

Three occupants of the latter vehicle have already been arrested and charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle so far. The names of the accused are not being released due to safety concerns. These charges have not been proven in a court of law.

Police are currently searching for a fourth suspect who is described as a tanned or possibly light-skinned black man, bald, no facial hair, large build, approximately 260 pounds and wearing a light-coloured jacket and a black vest.and a fourth is still at large.

With fingers being pointed at local street gang involvement, Duncan said these groups are independent of the larger, more notorious clubs.

“At this time they appear to be more distinct entities within our community, often times tied to geographical areas, so obviously the concern that they’ll elevate is always in our minds,” Duncan said.

When asked whether these groups could be functioning as “puppet clubs” under the Hells Angels or Outlaws, Duncan said there are interconnections at times.

He added despite speculation that the shooting is related to a larger dispute, there is no information at this time to support that assumption.

Duncan noted as chief of police, his top priority is to ensure the community and it’s members are kept safe, without concerns for their well-being. He said the shooting, which took place in a residential area and was close to a school, has put citizens at grave risk.

“We will not tolerate this open display of violence and we will work diligently to prevent further acts of violence,” Duncan said. “The message should be very clear to the individuals or groups involved: You are priority number one; we will not have the safety of our community compromised and we will continue our collective efforts to eliminate these violent acts and arrests those responsible for them.”

The London police are currently working with the RCMP and OPP during this investigation. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the London Police Service at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

- With files from Jonathon Brodie