Band leaders in Hobbema are discussing how to stop gang violence in the wake of a shooting yesterday that left a 23-year-old woman dead.
The woman was shot multiple times in the face and upper body at a home next door to where a five year old boy was killed in July.
The boy was the grandson of the Samson Cree First Nation chief and the woman is said to be the boy’s aunt, Chelsea Yellowbird.
Councillors spent the day on Tuesday discussing their options.
Both of these latest shooting happened at what neighbours described as gang homes.
Elroy Strawberry-Rain is the housing chairman of the Samson First Nation and is proposing taking housing rights away from those who don’t follow the rules.
“If they’re not going to learn and abide by the rules, what’s the point in having them around. You gotta follow the rules.” he said Tuesday.
Council meetings have now wrapped up and no votes were taken.
Others think more than laws must change, attitudes need to as well.
Residents say that there’s a culture of fear in Hobbema right now. People are afraid to talk to police and let them know about what they saw – for fear of gang retribution.
That’s hampering investigations into both the latest shootings.
As much as residents say they’re fed up, police say little can change if they don’t step up as well. Experts agree.
“The solution to these problems are complex. There’s no magic wand to wave and make years of problems in the community go away.” says MacEwan Criminologist Michael Gulayets.
An autopsy on Yellowbird was done on Tuesday afternoon.
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