The top cop in Kamloops says the RCMP is doing everything in its power to counter the recent upswing in violence connected to the local drug trade.

Superintendent Jeff Pelley has revealed the turf war between two rival groups began in March with a series of at least 6 arsons, including at a house on the 1700-block of Brunner Avenue and the 200-block of Spruce Avenue.

He notes it then escalated to gunfire this month, with at least 4 incidents they’re aware of, including the shooting at the Ramada Hotel on Columbia Monday which left one man with non-life threatening injuries.

“The recent violent events are concerning to the public. We share your concern. I want to assure you we have every available resource working to advance these investigations,” said Pelley. “To the drug traffickers, let me be clear, the violence and the sale and distribution of illegal drugs will be met with consequences.  We will find you. We will arrest you, and you will be held accountable for your actions.”

Pelley says the local Mounties are working with other provincial-based forces to deal with the uptick in violence.

“We want the public to know that your safety is a priority for Kamloops RCMP, which is why we’ve taken the necessary steps to issue a public warning,” noted Pelley.

Kamloops RCMP this week took the unusual step of publicly identifying the two men at the centre of the dispute, 40-year-old Cameron Cole and 25-year-old Justin Hunt, who Pelley says are rivals in the local drug trade.

Pelley would not say whether the two have affiliations to larger, organized crime groups.

Timeline of violence

During a media briefing Thursday, Supt. Pelley laid out this timeline of events that investigators is linked to the ongoing conflict.

• March 13: RCMP and firefighters are called to a case of arson at a home in the 1700-block of Brunner Avenue. Police later released pictures of two suspects.

• March 19: Mounties are called to investigate an arson in the 200-block of Spruce Avenue, where a fire was lit on a porch.

• March 28: Police are called to investigate another suspicious fire in the 200-block of Spruce Avenue. Investigators suspect Molotov cocktails were used.

• March 30: Another suspicious fire, this time in the 800-block of Valhalla Drive. Investigators suspect Molotov cocktails were used again.

• March 30: Mounties and firefighters respond to a fire in the 400-block of Chilcotin Road, where three vehicles appeared to have been vandalized.

• April 7: A third suspicious fire in the 200-block of Spruce Avenue, this time targeting an unoccupied vehicle.

• May 2: First report of shots fired at the Star Lodge Motel on Columbia Street West. No injuries are reported.

• May 3: RCMP respond to a drive-by shooting at a house on 10th Street. No injuries are reported.

• May 4: Shots fired in the 800-block of Sudbury Avenue. No injuries are reported.

• May 6: Shots fired outside the Ramada Hotel on Columbia Street West. One man is taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.