Calgary police were called to the scene of a shooting in the community of Forest Lawn at around 5 a.m. Friday, where a man in his 20s was found dead inside a home.
Family members have identified the victim as 23-year-old Abiem Kuol Akel, who grew up in Calgary after immigrating from South Sudan.
It happened at a home in the 2400 block of 47 Street S.E.
Saturday, police said they have multiple people in custody in connection with Akel’s death.
Officers are also searching in both Forest Lawn and Dover for any evidence that may help with the ongoing investigation.
“We believe this is an isolated incident. Right now, as it is early in the investigation, we are trying to find out the motive,” Insp. Kelly Campbell said. “There were people in the residence but at this point I don’t know how many or whether they live there. We need to interview witnesses, anybody that was near the residence…to get more information.”
A neighbour told Global News he heard gunshots in the middle of the night, woke up, looked outside and saw men running to a car and driving away – that’s when he called police.
Other neighbours said they didn’t hear anything and just woke up to police cars throughout the neighbourhood.
Police confirmed several men were seen running from the home and leaving in a four-door sedan.
Officers are working to confirm more specific details about the vehicle.
One area resident, who asked not to be identified out of fear of reprisals, said she has lived in the area for 60 years and that the people in the house have only been there a short period of time.
“That fella has only been in that house, upstairs only a month or so,” she said.
Bryan Gallinger said people come and go from the house all the time.
“About every couple months there’s new people in there and a lot of activity from the back of the house,” Gallinger said.
An autopsy is scheduled for early next week.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.
With files from Tony Tighe