A man wanted on a Canada-wide warrant was arrested in Yellowknife after a woman was shot at earlier this year when, in the middle of the night, she reportedly asked the driver of a car to stop revving its engine.
The shooting happened on Sunday, July 14, 2024, shortly after 4 a.m. near Edmonton’s downtown core in the Queen Mary Park neighbourhood.
Police said a vehicle near 109A Avenue and 110 Street was loudly revving its engine when an 18-year-old woman went out onto the balcony of her nearby apartment to ask the driver of the vehicle to quiet down.
The male suspect, who police said was visiting a nearby location and was being picked up by the driver, approached the vehicle and began arguing with the woman, who was still outside her apartment.
The suspect fired a shot at the woman before getting into the vehicle, which then fled the scene, police said.
She was not physically injured, however police said the young woman continues to suffer ongoing mental and emotional trauma as a result of the life-threatening encounter.
The shooting was determined to be completely random — the girl and the suspect did not know each other, police said.
“This shooting is a prime example of the gun violence in our city that our units are prioritizing. We do not take these public occurrences lightly and will not stop at city limits to apprehend those responsible for gun violence in our city,” said Staff Sgt. Eric Stewart with the EPS Guns and Gangs Section.
“Unprovoked, random attacks on innocent civilians will not be overlooked, and the expansion of our firearms investigation unit will continue to prioritize these occurrences, as well as actively pursue those involved.”
The EPS firearms investigation unit (FIU) took over the investigation and identified the shooter as Jackito Guiawan, 19. A Canada-wide warrant was issued for his arrest.
EPS worked with the RCMP and determined Guiawan had left Edmonton for Yellowknife, N.W.T.
On Aug. 29,, Yellowknife RCMP searched a home in that city and arrested Guiawan. During the search of the home, police said three firearms were recovered, along with evidence of drug trafficking. Guiawan was booked in on several charges stemming from the Yellowknife investigation.
The EPS firearms unit conducted ballistic analysis on one of the guns seized and said it formed the belief it was the same gun used in the shooting.
Earlier this month, Edmonton police went up to Yellowknife to arrest Guiawan on the Canada-wide warrant.
Guiawan was charged with discharging a firearm with intent, discharging a firearm recklessly, possession of a firearm knowing it is unauthorized, unauthorized possession in a motor vehicle and possession of restricted firearm with ammunition.