21-year-old arrested in overnight schoolyard shooting

A 21-year-old North Bay man is in custody after an overnight shooting at a local school parking lot.

The North Bay Police Service received a call to the school's parking lot on Lakeheights Road concerning the sounds of a gunshot. 

When officers arrived a 19-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound.  A man who had fled on foot was found a short distance from the scene and was arrested. 

The victim is in hospital in serious condition.

The North Bay Police Service say there will be a heavy police presence in the area of Holy Cross Catholic School today, The school, JK to Grade 8, located in the east end area of North Bay, will be closed for the day. There is no information on the school's website about the shooting this morning. Spokesman for the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board Christopher Piekarski told BayToday that the school board is not releasing any information on the incident, and is not providing any reassurance to parents, nor any instructions on when the school will reopen.

Evidence identification markers, used to mark items of evidence at a crime scene, dot the parking lot this morning, They are used to reveal evidence that may not be seen in photographs. Police tape restricts access to the scene.

At this time, it is suspected that the accused and victim are known to each other, and have no association to the school.

Police say there is no risk to public safety.

BayToday reached out to Mayor Peter Chirico, who is also on the police board, seeking a statement on the shooting. Through the city's communications officer, he declined to comment or be interviewed at this time.

The North Bay Police Service’s Criminal Investigations Unit is continuing to investigate and is requesting information from anyone who may have been in the area, or who has dashcam footage or video surveillance of the area. If you have any information call 705-497-5555.

Police say further details will be released in the coming days.