Police in Kamloops say a recent string of high-level violence in the city is linked to a very small pool of people.

Staff Sgt. Simon Pillay points out three homicides and an armed robbery and kidnapping in the past month were all linked to the drug trade.

“We wanted to make it clear to the public that this violence is not as a result of an invasion of gangs from outside of this community or anything like that. These are longtime Kamloops who are doing this, they’ve been involved in the drug trade, in police detention and in and out of jail for a number of years,” he says.

“That’s what we’re trying to draw a line at here, is that it’s really not safe in any way to be a drug trafficker in Kamloops. What we are seeing is even the smallest, lowest-level participant could potentially be the victim of a homicide right now.”

Pillay says Kamloops RCMP are working with the Uniform Gang Enforcement Team who are back in the community after Friday’s double shooting.

“We’re now really looking with those who have not cooperated with investigations before. It’s really time to say ‘enough’s enough,’ and bring this to an end. Because we don’t want even one more case.”

One of two victims of a double-shooting on the north shore on Friday, Kamloops man Jason Glover, passed away in hospital sometime after. That incident was a day after an armed robbery and kidnapping in the city, which followed two fatal shootings on Jan. 23. Police say all the incidents are tied to organized crime.

As of yesterday, police had charged two men in connection to Friday’s double shooting with murder and attempted murder, meanwhile three people have been charged who are tied to last week’s armed robbery and kidnapping.