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Gun battle in northeast Edmonton, 1 of 2 incidents being investigated by police in area

Edmonton police were called to investigate after shots were fired during a gun battle near 116 Avenue and 34 Street in the Rundle Heights neighbourhood in northeast Edmonton. January 14, 2016. Julia Wong, Global News

Police responded to two incidents in northeast Edmonton late Friday night, including a “gun battle.”

EPS northeast division acting Staff Sgt. Shelby Cech said shots were fired and two people in the gun battle were running through the Rundle Heights neighbourhood near 116 Avenue and 34 Street.

Cech said one shot went through a building and the forensics team is investigating.

One woman, who did not want to be identified, told Global News that she saw the scene unfold from her window.

Edmonton police were called to investigate after shots were fired during a gun battle near 116 Avenue and 34 Street in the Rundle Heights neighbourhood in northeast Edmonton. January 14, 2016. Julia Wong, Global News

She said she saw a man running through the parking lot of the townhouse complex, then turn around and shoot towards a townhouse along 34 Street. She said he then ran in the opposite direction.

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One resident, who only wanted to be identified as Cindy, said she saw the police activity from her townhouse.

“I came outside to look and there were police everywhere, with their rifles, police dogs. The chopper was quite low. They had their flashlights looking around,” she said.

Cindy said the gun battle is unnerving, adding she does not feel safe after what happened Friday night.

“It happens a lot around here. It gets scary when you have to send your kids upstairs, lock them up and have them lay down,” she said.

“I would like to understand, sometimes, what people are thinking — running through family complexes like that, shooting each other.”

Cindy plans to take precautions to stay safe, but doesn’t know how much they will help.

“It doesn’t feel nice. It’s scary. [You] don’t know what they’re capable of doing, other than keeping the doors locked and stuff like that, that’s all we can do,” she said.

Cech said the gun battle wound its way through the neighbourhood and, while no one was hurt, the two people involved fled the scene.

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He said detectives were following up with witnesses Saturday.

An unrelated incident in the area was also being investigated by homicide detectives. Few details were provided in that case. Although the two situations happened in the same part of the city, Cech said they were completely separate.

READ MORE: Homicide detectives investigating incident near Rundle Park in northeast Edmonton

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