VANCOUVER - A Vancouver man who shot at strangers on Main Street Thursday night before turning his gun on himself has died in hospital.
Vancouver Police Const. Brian Montague confirmed Friday that the 34-year-old had succumbed to his injuries.
Police continue to investigate the shooting at 26th and Main Street about 11:15 pm. Thursday.
The man got out of his car, shot in the direction of two apparent strangers, then shot himself in front of stunned bystanders.
"It is still early on but, our investigators are trying to figure out why this individual decided to shoot at someone else," Montague said.
He said the shooter is known to police.
"I don't know if he has a criminal record but he is someone we have had contact with in the past," he said.
He said one of the people shot at was grazed but did not require hospitalization. The other was uninjured. Both have been interviewed by investigators, Montague said.
"My understanding is that there is no relationship whatsoever but we will determine that as the investigation progresses," he said.
The area was open by 8 a.m. Friday. Passersby stopped to look at the blood stained street and ask what happened.
Sasha Lakovic heard the shooting from his house on 26th minutes after walking past the same spot.
"I walk into my house and I hear pop, pop, pop," he said. "So I threw on my jeans and by the time I came out of my house not more than a minute later, there were cops everywhere and they came up silently without their sirens here."
The general manager of the restaurant he had been at earlier in the evening ran over to attend to the injured man, Lakovic said.
The shooter, who was wounded in the neck, said: "I don't want to die," Lakovic said.
Montague said police are trying to determine whether the shooter was actually aiming at the two men or just shooting randomly in their vicinity.
There was an art event just metres away from the shooting and nearby restaurants had to keep patrons inside for more than an hour as police searched the area.
Main Street was cordoned off between King Edward and 27th throughout the night.
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