New details have emerged about the tragic shooting that occurred Thursday night in Stratford, Ontario, leaving two people dead and two others injured. The Stratford Police Service has identified the gunman as 31-year-old Ricky Bilcke and has taken the unusual step of naming all the victims involved in this horrifying incident.
Who Is Ricky Bilcke?
According to police reports, Bilcke used a high-powered rifle to shoot Jonathan Bennett, 36, from across the street. He then retrieved a shotgun and fired at David Tokley, 43, from the road. A third victim, Stephanie Irvine, was shot while she was leaving her home. Bilcke fired several additional shots, hitting nearby residences before turning the gun on himself. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Bennett was transported to Stratford General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Tokley and Irvine were both airlifted to Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario. Tokley is in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, while Irvine’s injuries are described as life-altering.
Children were present during the shooting, but police are still investigating whether they were directly involved.
The shooting took place around 10:45 p.m. on Bradshaw Drive, near McCarthy Road. Neighbors reported hearing multiple gunshots and screams.
“I woke up to banging sounds. There were small ones and then an explosion, it sounded like,” said neighbor D’Arcy-Ann Larin. “There were smaller pops after that.”
“I think we heard five or six [gunshots],” explained neighbor Kiranpreet Kaur. “There was a lot of screaming. Within two or three minutes, there were six or eight police cars out there. We saw a lady with a bleeding arm.”
“I saw the neighbors taking cover,” said Jangshant Singh. “I told my family to go into the back rooms [of my house] and I went too.”
Police have confirmed that they had been aware of ongoing disputes between the neighbors involved in the shooting. Const. Darren Fischer stated, “We’ve been receiving reports of ongoing neighbor disputes between the individuals involved. We’ve been involved on a couple of occasions over the last several months.”
As the investigation continues, police are asking anyone with video surveillance of the incident to submit it online. They are also requesting that any videos of the incident posted on social media be removed out of respect for the victims and their families.
The quiet neighborhood of Bradshaw Drive, known for its new builds, has been left in shock and fear following the incident.
“We all were quite shaken,” explained Kaur, adding that she’s now worried about letting her daughter play outside. “I’m kind of scared to get out on the street and play with her.”
“I’m feeling very anxious and I’m a little nerve-wracked,” admitted Larin.
As more details continue to emerge, the Stratford community mourns the loss of Jonathan Bennett and Ricky Bilcke while hoping for the recovery of David Tokley and Stephanie Irvine. The Stratford Police Service is committed to a thorough investigation to understand the full circumstances surrounding this tragic event.