A photo making the rounds on social media of a hypodermic needle taped to the underside of a railing in a Victoria parkade isn’t a hoax.
The City of Victoria confirmed it was working with police after the needle was found taped to a rail in the Yates Street Parkade in April.
The photo was posted on Facebook Sunday and shared more than 3,600 times as of Monday morning, with many commenters saying they were appalled.
“HEADS UP PEOPLE!!!! This photo was shown to me by the security guard at Yates street parkade,” wrote Sam Hollington, who posted the photo. “He found it while on patrol underneath the stairs hand rail. Not sure if it was infected with anything or not just beware that this is happening in our city.”
Others said the story was suspect, claiming they called City of Victoria parking services who told them no one knew anything about the needle.
Doubters also remarked that the needle in the photo looked like it hadn’t been used.
“This picture looks staged. Using critical thinking…why would a person struggling with addiction tape an unused needle to a handrail?” wrote one person.
But on Monday, the City of Victoria confirmed that the needle was found by a security guard.
“The needle was spotted by security and reported to police,” a city spokesperson said, adding that these kinds of incidents are “uncommon.”
The city said in a news release that after the discovery of the needle on April 17, a police report was filed and the city elevated hourly security sweeps at its five parkades. It said it is working closely with the Victoria Police Department.
The security guard who says he took the photo confirmed to CTV News Monday that it was found several weeks ago in the lower level of the stairwell on the corner of Yates Street at Langley Street.
Others who have seen the photo online say they were surprised the city didn’t warn parkade users with a public notice or sign.
“You don’t know what’s on there, you could screw your life up forever from that,” said one man passing by the parkade Monday. “I think it could be good to know, just have a little sign saying ‘watch the rails.’ Something went around on Facebook. That’s how I found out.”
One woman who works at a store across the street said she’s seen numerous issues at the parkade in the few months she’s been there.
“I actually can’t even believe that somebody would do that. It’s just devastating,” said Menaka Dasi, a yoga teacher at Boho Tribe. “My daughter’s 16, she walks through this parkade regularly, what if she put her hand there? What if my four-year-old put his hand on the bar?”
Dasi said she was also worried the city didn’t alert the public about the needle despite the fact that it was discovered nearly a month ago.
“That’s really concerning,” she said. “Why are authorities that are here to serve and protect us not communicating with us for our own health and safety? It feels like a lot of brushing it aside, let’s keep the retail, let’s keep the tourism going and not talk about it.”
The city and Victoria police are now asking anyone with information about the needle to call police at 250-995-7654 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
With files from CTV Vancouver Island's Scott Cunningham
