Edmonton police are investigating the city’s latest homicide after a man in his 30s died in hospital following a fight outside the Diesel Ultra Lounge.
Police were initially called to a weapons complaint and reports of shots fired at 11845 Wayne Gretzky Dr. around 3 a.m. Sunday.
Once at the scene, they learned that a man had been taken to the Royal Alex hospital. He was not taken there by an ambulance
“It is a homicide investigation,” said downtown Staff Sgt. Sid Kingma.
Investigators are still trying to piece together what exactly happened as they continue to search for a suspect.
“As you can imagine, at 3 a.m., the bar had just let out so there was a huge number of witnesses that are all being interviewed and our detectives are working hard to try to unravell exactly what occurred this morning,” said Inspector Brian Nowlan.
Insp. Nowlan added that he’s not sure at this time if the incident was gang related, but says there were a number of disturbances inside the club that carried themselves outside. “Whether or not it was a continuation of what had happened inside, I don’t know,” he said.
Forensic investigators could be seen taking photographs around the building, which is across from Rexall Place and contains the lounge and a hotel. The area was surrounded completely with yellow police tape. Police escorted guests in and out of their rooms at the Coliseum Inn.
A 35-year-old man who was staying at the hotel but did not want his name published said he arrived at the hotel around 3:45 a.m. Sunday.
“There were cops everywhere. All of them had their guns drawn,” he said. “They were looking for a shooter.”
Police initially stopped him but then let him into his room when they confirmed he was a hotel guest, he said.
A manager from Diesel Ultra Lounge reached by phone Sunday morning said he did not want to comment on the incident. Police say staff is cooperating with investigators.
This marks Edmonton’s sixth homicide this year, and third this week, which Staff Sgt. David Spiers of EPS Homicide Section says “is a concern to all of us.”
“Police laid charges in two of these three cases, and we are faced with six homicides this year compared to 19 homicides last year at this time,” he says in a release.
Staff Sgt. Spiers adds that the investigations of this year’s homicides show several commonalities: “known-on-known attacks, alcohol and drugs fuelling violence, and high-risk lifestyles.”
Anyone who may have information that can assist with this investigation is urged to contact police at 780-423-4567. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
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