Police link string of violent crimes in metro St. John's, 20-year-old in custody for stabbing

Police in St. John's say a string of violent offences involving guns and knives are connected to a "criminal network,"and that one arrest has been made.

The saga goes back to at leastMay 13, when two men in ski masks jumped out of a gold Toyota sedan and opened fire on a parked vehicle on Galway Boulevard in St. John's. Nobody was reported injured.

Eight days later, on May 21, a 22-year-old man from Paradise was stabbed on George Street in downtown St. John's.

About three hours after that, someone fired gunshotsat a house on Goldfinch Drive in Paradise, injuring a man inside the home.

In the early hours of Thursday, someone shot recklessly into the main lobby of an apartment building on Thorburn Road.

Finally, on Friday, someone firebombed and shot up a house on Baker Street in the east end of St. John's.

Police made a single arrest on Thursday, taking a 20-year-old man into custody in relation to the George Street stabbing. He is charged with aggravated assault and robbery with violence. Court records show he livesat the apartment building on Thorburn Road.

The man appeared by video in court on Friday afternoon. The brief appearance included a request for a no-contact order between the accused and the 22-year-old victim, and one other person. He will be back in court Tuesday for a bail hearing.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says the investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are possible.

While the intended victims of the crimes were targeted, police said the reckless nature of the incidents left innocent people in harm's way.

Anyone with information related to any of the incidents is asked to call the anonymousCrime Stoppers service or the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.

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