Man charged in Mount Pleasant convenience store shooting

A man has been charged following a shooting in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood last week.

Vancouver police said that on Sept. 6, shortly after 7 a.m., officers were called to a store near Main Street and 16th Avenue after a man reported being shot in the leg.

A witness told Global News that the shooting took place at H&Z Market.

The man, identified in a GoFundMe campaign, was transported to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

After an investigation, including a review of CCTV footage, Vancouver Police Department Major Crime detectives identified a suspect.

Later that same day, Vancouver police received a report from Kamloops RCMP that the suspect in the shooting had been taken into custody in Kamloops on an unrelated matter.The BC Prosecution Service has now approved charges of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon against Victor Sorensen-Avila.

He remains in custody in Kamloops awaiting a bail hearing, Vancouver police said.

“Any act of gun violence in a busy neighbourhood like Mount Pleasant is deeply concerning,” Const. Darren Wong said in a statement.

“While this incident was disturbing for local residents and business owners, we want to reassure our community that a suspect was quickly identified and remains in custody. We do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the community.”