Askew’s Salmon Arm stores shot up overnight

Askew’s grocery stores in Salmon Arm were the target of vandals overnight, causing several thousands of dollars in damage.

“It appears a suspect, or suspects, armed with a pellet rifle shot out windows at both the downtown and uptown locations of Askew’s sometime overnight Wednesday,” Const. Nathan Strohm from the Salmon Arm RCMP told Vernon Matters. “There was an altercation with someone not wanting to wear a mask in an Askew’s store Wednesday, but it’s not possible to confirm any connection.”

“These are challenging times, it’s tough on everybody, on staff and customers. There is a lot of animosity and tensions are high,” Heather Turner, Askew’s Uptown Manager said. “The public health order doesn’t give us a lot of clout. People feel like their rights are being violated.”

Four large windows, two measuring four feet by eight feet, and two measuring eight feet by eight feet, were shot out at the uptown store.

Seven windows of various sizes were shot out or damaged at the downtown store. Both locations have boarded up the windows for now, until a glass company replaces them.

“We likely would have had baking staff and possibly janitorial in the uptown store when the incident happened,” Turner said. “We have WorkSafe B.C. rules to keep our staff safe, but really no authority over our customers. It’s kind of a gray zone.”

The stores have not beefed up security but do have staff at the entrances during busy times offering masks to patrons.

Salmon Arm has been a hotbed for anti-mask rallies. RCMP fined the organizer of a rally last Saturday ticketing him $2,000 under the COVID Measures Act, plus a victim surcharge levy of $300.

Anyone with any information or dash cam video of the latest incident are asked to contact the Salmon Arm RCMP at 250-832-6044 or North Okanagan Shuswap Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.