MAPLE RIDGE 鈥� Real estate agent and former Maple Ridge city councillor Franz Prokop is in hospital recovering from an apparent attempt on his life at a large rural property that is up for sale.
鈥淚 have no comment 鈥� this is a police investigation,鈥� said a co-worker at the Maple Ridge office of Macdonald Realty. 鈥淭he police have this well in hand, so I think they should carry on.鈥�
Cpl. Alanna Dunlop of Ridge Meadows RCMP said police went to the Lougheed Highway property east of 240th Street about 12:40 p.m. Saturday, when the victim called police.
Prokop was taken to hospital by air ambulance, and an investigative team searched the property without finding a suspect.
鈥淚 can confirm that the victim has been shot with a firearm,鈥� Dunlop said in a statement.
鈥淎t this time, this does not appear to be a random act.鈥�
Prokop was shot on a gravel road on a 19-acre parcel of land at 24225 Lougheed Highway that is listed for sale at $1.88 million.
鈥淭his 19.17-acre property is located close to town with great private setting,鈥� the Internet listing says. 鈥淐an be subdivided into two-acre parcels, 1,300 feet frontage on Lougheed Highway. Not in the ALR, perfect for lifestyle living or development.鈥�
Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin was surprised to hear that the man he has known for decades may have been targeted.
鈥淚n my former business, Windsor Plywood, he was a customer, and I was a customer at his Gourmet Hideaway restaurant,鈥� Daykin said. 鈥淲e worked together at the chamber of commerce.鈥�
Daykin said news of the shooting has spread quickly in the community.
鈥淲e only have a population of 78,000, so Maple Ridge is still relatively small,鈥� the mayor said. 鈥淧eople tend to know everybody in town.
鈥淢aple Ridge is a safe community 鈥� yes, we have the odd incident. The fact that it was targeted 鈥� that鈥檚 what police say it is 鈥� means that it wasn鈥檛 a random act.鈥�
Daykin said he and city council were updated by police that Prokop pulled through successfully after emergency surgery, but they haven鈥檛 had an update since.
鈥淥n that front, no news is good news,鈥� said Daykin, who said Prokop likely saved his own life by having the resources to phone for help. 鈥淚f he hadn鈥檛 phoned police, he could have been there for weeks.
