Three people are dead following a violent incident in a residential area of Maple Ridge, British Columbia. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported that the situation escalated after officers were called to the scene earlier in the day for a neighborhood dispute.

Police were first dispatched to the 11800 block of 239th Street around 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday. Officers spoke with several individuals but did not make any arrests at that time. Hours later, just before 11 p.m., the Maple Ridge Fire Department responded to reports of a vehicle fire and a break-in at the same location.

Upon arrival, officers discovered two vehicles and an attached garage engulfed in flames. They also found two deceased individuals inside the home. Subsequent calls to the police indicated that shots had been fired in the area.

The situation prompted a significant response from law enforcement. Mounties believed a suspect, who was armed, was barricaded in a neighboring home. Police established a containment perimeter and, with assistance from the Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team, entered the residence, where they found a third person dead. The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) reported that this individual appeared to have died from a self-inflicted injury.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) is now investigating the deaths of the two individuals found in the first home. According to IHIT, the deceased were identified as a man and woman in their 60s. Investigators believe the incident was targeted and stemmed from a dispute between neighbors who were familiar with each other. They confirmed that there are no outstanding suspects.

Residents of the typically quiet neighborhood expressed shock at the events. Bruce Fairweather, who lives nearby, reported hearing what sounded like gunshots. He went outside to find two vehicles fully engulfed in flames. "Both vehicles were totally engulfed, like big fireballs," he said.

Another neighbor, Andrew Palahicky, described hearing a loud noise he initially thought was a flashbang. He witnessed the fire and police officers with rifles attempting to access the garage. Palahicky noted that he did not know the deceased couple well but recognized them from the neighborhood. He remarked on the unusual nature of the incident, stating, "This is what I would consider like one of the safest areas in Maple Ridge, so quite the surprise when you've got such chaos at night like that."

Fairweather echoed this sentiment, expressing disbelief over the loss of his neighbors. "I can't believe they're not here today. I mean, they were here, talking to her yesterday," he said. "It's just kind of mind-boggling, actually."

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with the IIO reviewing police actions during the event.