Winnipeggers in Edmonton during Saturday’s terrorist attacks returned home on Sunday, many feeling outrage about what happened so close to home.
The initial attack happened just down the street from Commonwealth Stadium, where the Edmonton Eskimos were hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
READ MORE: Edmonton terror attacks: Police officer stabbed, people struck by U-Haul
Hundreds of players, fans, and Bomber personnel were at the game.
“You just noticed the increased police presence but had no idea why or what was going on,” former player and 680 CJOB Commentator Doug Brown said Sunday. “It makes you furious.”
“I hope it’s just a one-off scenario that just happened to coincide with a game where there was more than 30,000 people.”
Police said that at around 8:15 p.m., during the second quarter of action, a car rammed a traffic checkpoint on Stadium Road near 92 Street, hitting an officer.
“It definitely hits closer to home that someone would have the audacity to commit an atrocity of that nature so close to a major event,” Brown said, just minutes after getting off his flight from Edmonton.
READ MORE: Chris Randle picks off Mike Reilly as Blue Bombers down Eskimos 28-19
Most of the Bomber players left Edmonton earlier Sunday, the team opting for a 2 a.m. charter flight out of the city.
As for what the incident changes at home, just days before the team is back on home turf Friday, a statement Sunday said security measures wouldn’t be altered.
Team President and CEO Wade Miller said he’s confident Investors Group Field already offers a safe experience to fans.
“We won’t be adjusting our plan,” Miller said. “We have a thorough plan and provide training for our people so we’ll execute on that for Friday night’s game.”
“We always look at events like this that occur around the world and we’ll always revise if we think there’s the need.”
The statement released by the team said they’ll continue to work closely with Winnipeg Police Service and federal law enforcement agencies.
Comments