RCMP and B.C. Coroners Service is on the scene of an incident at the Village Green Hotel in Vernon, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019.

(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

VERNON - A man has died from a gunshot wound at the Village Green Hotel in Vernon and it appears the shooting is connected to an early morning home invasion in the nearby community of Lavington.

North Okanagan RCMP spokesperson Const. Kelly Brett said at a press conference officers were called to a home in the 9800 block of Park Lane in Lavington at around 1:30 a.m. today, Feb. 8, for a what police believe was a targeted break and enter that turned violent.

"It was reported there were possible shots fired resulting in one occupant of the home sustaining non-life threatening injuries," Brett said.

Thirty minutes later, RCMP were called to the Village Green Hotel where there was a man with a gunshot wound who has since died from the injury.

There was a heavy police presence at the Village Green Hotel this morning with a vehicle in the parking lot covered with a black tent and the B.C. Coroners Service was on the scene.

Brett said an unidentified man is in police custody but wouldn't confirm the identity of the suspect or the man who was killed. Nor would Brett say why police believed the incidents were connected. She wouldn't confirm whether the deceased man was a guest at the Village Green Hotel.

Hotel guest Juko Boersma told iNFOnews.ca he was woken up at about 1:15 a.m. by a man's voice coming from outside of his room. He sais the voice sounded "incoherent" and "under stress."

He said at about 3 a.m. hotel staff evacuated people staying in rooms on the second floor. Juko said after a two-hour wait downstairs, he and his wife were put in another room. Hotel staff wouldn't comment on the incident citing the police investigation.

"Officers have currently secured and are investigating multiple crime scenes and believe that the two incidents may be related at this time," Brett said. "The investigation remains in its early stages, as police continue to examine the scenes for physical evidence and canvass the areas for witnesses."

Brett reiterated it was early into the investigation and appealed to the public if anyone had seen anything at around the time of the incidents to contact the RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

RCMP and B.C. Coroners Service on the scene of a police incident at the Village Green Hotel on 27 Street in Vernon, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019.

(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

RCMP and B.C. Coroners Service on the scene at the Village Green Hotel where a gunshot victim died, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019.

(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

A house on Park Lane in Lavington is pictured in this submitted photo. The property was surrounded by police tape, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Adam Proskiw

— This story was updated at 10:22 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 with new information from RCMP.

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