Police search for Sparwood shooting witness

The BC RCMP are asking for help finding a person of interest in a shooting incident that took place in Sparwood last year.

Mounties say they’re searching for Joshua Freeman, who has been identified as a person of interest in the shooting death of Joel Zimbalatti.

Zimbalatti was killed in Sparwood on Oct. 11, 2023, police say.

Police say Freeman’s name has been released because “conventional avenues of trying to locate him have been exhausted.” He is reported to have been last seen in the Kimberley area the day after the shooting, but police say he’s known to have ties to the Okanagan.

“If Freeman sees or hears this call for information, we ask him to contact the police of jurisdiction,” said Sgt. Jason Smart.

Initially, police say they learned that a male who went by the alias of “Slim” had fled the scene of the shooting in Sparwood prior to police arriving. Through a different media release, they add, they learned that “Slim” was Freeman.

Mounties say another male was arrested at the scene of the shooting when it occurred.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact their local police, or the BC RCMP Southeast District Major Crime Unit information line at 1-877-987-8477.