London police are cautioning the public that the two black males being sought in a Wednesday-morning shooting at a Ridout Street apartment building should be considered armed and dangerous.

One of the suspects was armed with a handgun during the incident just after 1:30 a.m., police said.

One is described as a bald black male with a muscular build, 5’8” to 6’ tall. The other is a black male wearing a black hoodie and black pants, 5’6” to 5”7”

In a statement Wednesday evening, police added that it appears robbery was the motive for the shooting. Two other people in the apartment at the time of the robbery were unhurt, police said.

Leftover bloody gauze remained on the grass outside the building at 550 Ridout St., just north of Kent Street, where emergency workers were called to help an injured male early Wednesday morning.

Police said they received “multiple calls” about a loud bang or possible gunshot and arrived to find a male suffering from a gunshot wound.

Paramedics treated and transported the male to hospital where he remained in critical condition Wednesday evening, police said.

While the building was cordoned off by police tape all morning, several neighbours who live in buildings nearby said they hadn’t heard anything and were surprised to wake up to the news that there had been a shooting.

The neighbourhood is home to a fraternity house, but aside from the occasional loud partying, there isn’t very much excitement, said one woman.

“Until now, (it’s been) a nice quiet neighbourhood. Not a lot of traffic up until now,” said Kristine Pykala, who stopped to see what was going on while out walking her dog. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Among those who responded to the incident overnight was London Coun. Virginia Ridley, who was on a ride-along with London police. But while Ridley was tweeting about her adventures all night, she declined to talk about the shooting other than to say it was a “very significant, scary situation.”

“I have concerns for the person who was injured,” said Ridley.

Police have asked that anyone with information, or anyone who was in the area at the time of the shooting, to contact them at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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