Man taken to Timmins hospital with gunshot wound after shooting on Sixth Avenue

People in Timmins are waking up to a heavy police presence and road closures in the area of Sixth Avenue and Pine Street on Tuesday morning following a shooting.

Timmins police closed road at Sixth Avenue and Pine Street. May 7, 2024 (Lydia Chubak/CTV Northern Ontario)

Timmins police were called to a 'weapons incident' shortly before 6:30 a.m. and one man was found on Sixth Avenue with a gunshot wound, police said in a news release. He was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Tuesday afternoon, police said three people were seen exiting the vehicle and fled the area on foot and that area was searched.

"A wide area around the scene has been contained by uniform patrol officers and the Timmins Police emergency response team has been deployed," police said.

"The OPP K9 unit has also been deployed to assist."

Ethan Chapleau-Fletcher lives at Sixth Avenue and Pine Street.

He told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in an online interview he was sleeping peacefully when he was awoken by a loud bang around 6:30 a.m.

"I got scared and looked outside to see what was happening and I saw a police officer holding his gun," he said.

Photos obtained by CTV News show a vehicle parked in the middle of Seventh Avenue and Maple Street North and the intersection is cordoned off with yellow police tape.

Silver car with front end damage sits in the middle of Seventh Avenue and Maple Street North in Timmins following an 'incident.' May 7, 2024.

"Shortly after the weapons incident, police also received a call of a motor vehicle collision in the area of Maple North and Seventh Avenue," police said.

"It is believed that these incidents are related and that area is also be contained by police."

Silver car with major front end damage parked on Seventh Avenue in Timmins following an early morning shooting on Sixth Avenue. May 7, 2024 (Lydia Chubak/CTV Northern Ontario)

A neighbour told CTV News he was woken up by the sound of the crash around 6:25 a.m.

Police also have an area near Elm Street cordoned off Tuesday morning.

Timmins police have road cordoned off to Elm Street after crash. May 7, 2024

Two schools in the area, Pope Francis Elementary School and Ecole Catholique Jacque-Cartier on Ninth Avenue, are closed for the day as a precaution due to the proximity to the incident.

"Following a police situation near the Jacques Cartier School in Timmins, the school is closed," Conseil scolaire catholique de district des Grandes Rivières said in a post on social media at 7:33 a.m.

"If your Jacques-Cartier Timmins child is already on the bus, he or she will be brought to the headquarters (896 Riverside). The school management will welcome your child and communicate with you," the school board said in another post at 8:22 a.m.

Two other CSCDGR schools are taking extra precautions as a result of the incident as well, but remain open.

"Due to an abundance of security and due to a police situation near the school, Sacré-Coeur and Louis Rhéaume will be in quarantine for safety. Students will enter the school directly upon arrival," the school board said at 8:02 a.m.

"Due to a police presence, the above schools are in hold and secure. Students will stay indoors till further notice. This is being done in an abundunce of caution."

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Vanessa Landers is a mother who lives in the neighbourhood.

She said parents are scrambling to find child care due to the last-minute school closures and that having to explain to their children the reason why there is no school is hard.

"How crazy is it to think our kids can’t even walk to the bus stop any more in fear of shots being fired and/or crazy driving resulting in an accident had it happened any later," Landers said.

"No hours of the day are safe anymore and it’s just sad … last thing we want is our kids being in fear."

Two police officers investigating early morning incident. May 7, 2024.

Police are asking people to avoid the area around Sixth Avenue and said it will be "under police control for an undetermined amount of time while the investigation continues."

Timmins police have closed the road at Seventh and Birch following an early morning shooting. May 7, 2024 (Lydia Chubak/CTV Northern Ontario)

The criminal investigation division and forensic services has taken over the investigation.

"Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 705-264-1201 or Crime Stoppers," police said.

CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca is continuing to follow the story and will update the article as new information becomes available.