Metrotown mall in Burnaby evacuated after unconfirmed reports of gunshots

Police were on scene at Metrotown and the nearby SkyTrain Station in Burnaby, B.C. on Friday afternoon due to reports of gunshots.

Police were on scene at Metrotown and the nearby SkyTrain station in Burnaby, B.C., due to reports of gunshots on Friday afternoon.

Transit police responded to an incident at the SkyTrain station, adjacent to the mall, sometime before 3 p.m., and RCMP officers were quickly called in to help. Then, according to Burnaby RCMP, police got reports of an incident inside the mall, and sent officers to that scene as well.

Metro Vancouver Transit Police and Burnaby RCMP asked people to stay away from the area.

At the time of the incidents, Burnaby RCMP said on Twitter that it was on scene at Metrotown, “assisting with evacuating the mall and conducting a grid search.”

“There are unconfirmed reports of shots being fired. The mall is being searched. There are no known injuries,” it continued.

RCMP said there were also unconfirmed reports of a pipe bomb.

“Unclear if the two investigations are related,” the force said in a tweet.