Watch above: Two separate shootings in Saskatoon overnight which police say are unrelated but not random. Aaron Streck takes a look at what’s driving this apparent increase in violent, gun related incidents.
SASKATOON – Police believe there is no connection between two shootings in Saskatoon Tuesday evening. Investigators also believe the shootings that left two people injured, one from a shotgun blast, were not random acts.
The first happened just after 8 p.m. after four people forced their way into a home in the 100-block of Avenue O South and got into a fight with a man who lives there.
He was able to escape and began running for help. The suspects gave chase and fired at the fleeing man with what investigators believe was a small calibre firearm before taking off in a pickup truck.
One of the bullets struck the door of a building in the 1500-block of 21st Street West.
No one was injured in the shooting but the man suffered minor injuries in the fight.
The four suspects, three men and a woman, were seen in a dark blue or green Dodge pickup truck with an extended cab and a cover box. The woman, who is aboriginal, is heavy-set and had her hair in a ponytail on top of her head. There is no description of the three men, who are also described as aboriginal.
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Then just before 10:30 p.m., police were called out to the 300-block of Avenue T South for another shooting where several people attempted to force their way into a home.
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David Tschetter said he heard noises at his door and went to see what was happening.
“I opened up the door, noticed a couple of guys outside reefing on the outside door. So I slammed my inside door, locked it up and they proceeded to try and kick the door in,” recalled Tschetter.
Tschetter called for his roommate to help him hold the front door closed against the intruders. That’s when a shotgun was fired, striking him in the neck.
“It hit me in the shoulder; hit me in the neck and part of my hand,” said Tschetter.
“I have a few pellets in my neck (doctors) said will come out eventually. The shoulder was pretty bad, they said that I have torn skin and torn flesh off, and then I got a big cut and three pellets in my hands.”
Watch below: Joelle Tomlinson speaks with David Tschetter, who was shot in the neck Tuesday evening when several people attempted to force their way into his home.
They were able to flee out the back door and call for help. Tschetter was taken to hospital for treatment of his wounds.
Police do not believe this was a random act, although Tschetter doesn’t know exactly what the motivation was for the incident. For tonight, Tschetter does not plan on staying at his house.
“I’m going to find a place safer, more secure.”
“We do know that they don’t appear to be random in nature so certainly we don’t feel it’s a larger public safety issue. It is concerning to us anytime a crime is committed involving a firearm, it just raises that level of concern,” said Alyson Edwards, Saskatoon police spokesperson.
While police continue to investigate both shootings from Tuesday night, they say the number of incidents in the city has recently increased.
“In many cases violence involving firearms is a spin off or a side-effect of having an active drug trade, having people in the drug trade arming themselves and gang activity,” said Edwards.
“As a service we’re trying to keep a handle on that.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Saskatoon police at 306-975-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Carly Robinson and Aaron struck contributed to this report
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