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Neighbour recounts shooting in Penticton

One man is dead after a shooting took place at an apartment complex in Penticton
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Christian Klausen said the apartment complex he lives at, where a shooting happened on Wednesday morning, is “notorious” for its criminal activity.

Just after 10:30 a.m. he heard a loud bang, screaming and looked out his window to see a man holding his stomach where he had been shot.

“I have never seen a person get shot before. I’m not use to that. I’m traumatized,” said Klausen.

Related: RCMP investigating possible murder

Watching the man collapse in a heap on the ground from his top floor apartment window at the corner of Creston Avenue and Comox Street, Klausen came out to attend to him which is when he saw he had been shot in the chest area and had an exit wound out of his back. He gave him a towel to try and stop the bleeding when he said the man began gasping for air and then succumbed to his injuries just as the paramedics arrived. He put the man who died as being about 50-years-old.

Prior to the shooting, Klausen said the man who died was banging on his neighbour’s doors saying “it is in your best interest to open your door for me right now.”

Having moved to Penticton from the Lower Mainland just three months ago, Klausen said he already wants to leave because of the things he has seen. From his first day living in the complex he said there was about 100 people a day going in and out of one apartment where he believes there was a drug dealer.

“Just three weeks ago there was a guy who maced another guy,” said Klausen.

“It’s hard drugs, bad characters and money. It comes down to that - robbing and stealing and killing,” said Klausen.

“I’ve travelled the whole world. I have been to 33 countries and the most dangerous place I can think of in my memory is Penticton, this is not even a joke. I don’t know what happened to this city. I must be living in the wrong area.”

RCMP said one male suspect was taken into custody.