Life appears to be back to normal in the Pinewood area along Vimy Street and Beattie Street today.
The neighbourhood near the empty Scollard Hospital site was shocked when a 45-year-old man was shot and killed in a corner house on Wednesday. Two North Bay men have been arrested and charged with second degree murder in what police are calling a drug related home invasion.
See related: Police calling last Wednesdays homicide a 'drug related home invasion'
See related: Neighbours not surprised where shooting death occurred
Ray Gravelle lives next to the home where the incident occurred. That home has been described as “the scourge of the neighbourhood” by residents due to what they believe has been drug related traffic.
“We have always called it a crack house it was always steady going there you could not believe how many people would go there a day,” Gravelle told BayToday outside his Vimy Street home this afternoon.
Police Chief Shawn Devine sympathizes with the area residents, but going in and breaking up a drug deal is not as easy as many would think.
“Our police officers do a very good job, our street crime unit does a really good job in trying to locate places where drugs are supposed to be being sold but I think the public also has to realize that we have to work within the legislative rules,” the Chief stated during Monday’s homicide press conference at police headquarters.
“Because somebody believes that somebody is selling drugs out of some place does not give the police the authority to go in and remove and arrest them. We try to work within the laws, we definitely appreciate the information from the public and look for anyone with information related to that to either us directly or call Crime Stoppers.”
Gravelle is frustrated, but he understands that.
“The police are tied up in what they can do,” said Gravelle.
“I think city police did a good job of it.”
However, Gravelle hopes the local landlord and the owner of the building do a better job of managing what goes on inside the dwelling.
“I think the guy running this place should be take care of it more,” he said bluntly.
“He is not here enough, he is only here once in a while. He is not doing a very good job because look what just happened.”
