ByWard Market businesses shaken by deadly shootings

Some business owners in the ByWard Market, where one man was killed and another wounded before the suspected gunman died in a shootoutwith a police officer early Saturday morning, are calling onpolice to step up their presence in the neighbourhood.

Ottawa police generallystep up foot patrolsof the ByWard Market and Lowertownareasduring the summer months, and the force said Monday thatthis year it will occur before the end of June to coincide with the standardinflux of tourists.

But it would be better to have more officers in the area year-round, business owners say, not just during summer.

• 2 dead, 1 injured after shootout in ByWard Market

• Friends mourn man killed in ByWard Market shootings

"It's very, very scary to work here at night," said Francoise Sarkes, owner of The Shawarma Place on Dalhousie Street.

Her son was working at the restaurant when the shooting occurred outside, she said.

"They heard the shooting, people were crossing by, yelling, screaming. They were very scared," Sarkes said."We need more police, more people under cover."

Across the street, Il Peruginocafwas still open when the gunfire broke out.

"I closed the doorand I told all my customers who were here about 10 to 15 customers I told them stay inside, don't go out, stay in with us, and I locked the door," said owner John Marcarelli, who hasworked atvarious ByWard Market businesses for about a decade.

"I think the last couple of years it has got worse."

While Marcarelli said he often sees police officers patrolling the areaand doesn't feel worried for his own safety, he believes theviolence will have an impact on the popularity of the entertainment destination.

"It's a pretty secure city. We never had those thoughts oh my God, I'm going out tonight,is something going to happen to me? We never had those worries. Now it's going to be a little bit different. Most people, most civilians will be scared coming downtown. It's not good for business or the people who want to have a regular weekend out."

City still 'very safe,' mayor assures residents

Mayor Jim Watson called the shootings on Saturday morning "very disturbing,"but assured residents the city remains "very safe."

Watson also said the fact a police officer was on the scene immediately after the first shots were firedshows there is adequate police presence on the city's streets.

We can't have a police officer at every corner, that's just physically and financially impossible.- Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson

"We can't have a police officer at every corner, that's just physically and financially impossible," Watson said. "But certainly what we've tried to do is to increase the presence and bring police officers to those areas that need more attention."

Irvin Waller, a University of Ottawa criminologist and author of Smarter Crime Control, characterizes the police response on the weekend as "very fast."

"The ByWardMarket has police available," he said. "If it had happened anywhere else in the city, it would have taken more time for the police to get there."

He added that most shootings and stabbingsoccur between people who know each other. "The only danger to other people is when bullets go astray. Which they do, but rarely."

There's no evidence suggesting Terrence Phillips, who died in Saturday's shooting, or Bun Sim, who was injured, knew the gunman who later died in an exchange of gunfire with police. The province's Special Investigations Unit is investigating that man's killing.