VANCOUVER -- Police in Victoria say they arrested a woman on a warrant Wednesday morning and seized what they called a "modified, assault-style" rifle and a loaded magazine in the process.
The arrest took place shortly after 5:30 a.m., when officers in the parking lot of a multi-unit temporary housing facility in the 100 block of Gorge Road East spotted the woman, Victoria police said in a news release.
The woman was wanted for failing to attend court in relation to previous drug trafficking and weapons possession charges.
After arresting the woman, police searched her and found what they described in their release as "a heavily modified, assault-style .22 calibre rifle and a magazine loaded with twenty rounds, as well as ammunition for other firearms."
Officers took the woman to jail, where she was held to await a court appearance. Police said they will be recommending several firearms-related charges against her, including carrying a concealed weapon, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and possession of a prohibited firearm.
Police said their investigation of the matter is ongoing.
In recent months, Victoria police have shared details of numerous incidents and investigations that have taken place in the 100 block of Gorge Road East, where there is at least one former hotel that is currently being used as temporary housing for those experiencing homelessness in the region.
Along with Beacon Hill Park, the area has been a focal point in the recent surge in police incidents in or near homeless encampments in the city, which has prompted calls from the Victoria City Police Union for more support in addressing issues of housing, addictions and mental health from the local and provincial governments.
