CALGARY – Police investigating a brazen drive-by shooting on a busy downtown Calgary street believe it is connected to an abduction that happened the night before.
Gunfire erupted in the 200 block of Stephen Avenue S.W. just after 10:30 p.m. on Thursday while the popular entertainment district was packed with people.
Police said a man and a woman, both in their 20s, were standing on the sidewalk when a vehicle approached and someone inside opened fire.
The victims were rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds. Both are listed in serious but non-life-threatening condition.
The violent attack took place in front of a McDonald’s in the Scotia Centre, leaving two large panes of glass shattered. A stray bullet entered the fast food eatery and struck the back wall.
Police said the restaurant was closed at the time, but workers were still inside cleaning up and were quite shaken.
The Calgary Police Service Guns and Gangs Unit rushed to the scene of the attack.
A vehicle believed to be connected to the shooting was later found at a gas station in the 2000 block of 16 Avenue N.W. Police took two people who were in the vehicle in for questioning.
Inspector Rob Davidson said that vehicle was believed to be the one involved in an abduction that occurred in the same location on Wednesday night.
“We are not looking at random isolated events,” he said. “This appears to be much more targeted.”
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Davidson said the Stephen Avenue shooting was not connected to gangs or two shootings that happened earlier this week, however, he suggested the abduction and Stephen Avenue shooting were connected to drugs.
“We believe that the persons of interest in custody are also likely involved in other crime, violent crime that has occurred in the city, and those are also ongoing investigations,” he said.
– With files from Bindu Suri and Tony Tighe
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