2010 Winter Olympics Host City Plagued by Spike in Violence

As it prepares to host the Olympic Games in 2010, the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, is struggling with a surge in violent crime. Homicide investigators say that January alone saw 17 fatal shootings, with 58 murders in 2008 and 41 in 2007.

RCMP Superintendent Pat Fogarty said a shortage of drugs is responsible, citing a 67% increase in cocaine prices to $39,000 per kilogram. He said, "People are nervous … and so are the police. The public's outraged. The government's outraged."

Peter Van Loan, Public Safety Minister, said Canada's violence is at its worst in Vancouver, a city he calls the country's gang capital. Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited the area last month, proposing stiffer sentences for gang killings.