Police are looking for at least two people in the shooting of a German tourist on Highway 1A near the southern Alberta community of Morley, RCMP said in an update provided Thursday.
“We believe there was intent to cause death or serious injury to the driver of a vehicle,” Cpl. Curtis Peters said, adding attempted murder is one potential charge that could be laid. “Without a doubt, the shot was intentionally fired. Whether or not the victim was the intended person, we don’t know at this point in time.”
The tourist was driving a black Dodge Durango with three of his family members on Aug. 2 when the passing vehicle fired a shot that hit him in the head, and caused him to veer off the road and crash.
Watch below: RCMP say victim of Alberta highway shooting ‘deserves justice’
Peters said the adult male who’d previously been taken into custody and a seized Chrysler Sebring has been cleared from involvement in the case. He added initial information released by the RCMP that the two cars had been travelling west at the time was incorrect.
“Both vehicles were travelling eastbound at the time the shooting occurred,” Peters said. “The victim vehicle was in the right-hand lane and was passed in the left-hand lane by another vehicle that was also travelling the same direction: east. The gunshot was fired as it went by, therefore it would’ve been fired from the passenger side of the vehicle.”
The 60-year-old victim was airlifted to a hospital in Calgary where he underwent surgery. Police said it’s expected he will have lasting effects from the penetrating brain injury he sustained.
WATCH: RCMP Cpl. Curtis Peters updates the investigation into the shooting of a German tourist on Highway 1A near Morley, Alta.
Peters said Thursday new information had come to light, including that the tourist had driven to the Nakoda Lodge as well as along Branch Road. RCMP released photos of a vehicle similar to the Durango the tourist was driving, along with a map of the area in the hopes someone will come forward with new information.
“We encourage anyone who may have had contact or seen this vehicle either on Highway 1A or at the Nakoda Lodge or on Branch Road to please contact investigators,” he said, specifying the timeline as Aug. 2 between 11 a.m. and noon and appealing for dashcam footage. “Anyone who has information should call a tip line that’s been established at 1-844-887-6287 or Crime Stopper anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.”
Earlier in the investigation, RCMP had said road rage was a potential motive; Peters said it was still under consideration.
“That’s still being looked at,” Peters said. “We haven’t unearthed anything in the investigation that suggested there was a conflict that took place leading up to the shooting. All investigative avenues are still open, however, there’s nothing to point us solidly in that direction at this point.”
Watch below: RCMP say all investigative avenues remain open when asked if road rage still considered possible motive in German tourist shooting
By the time it closed, a GoFundMe campaign had raised $10,380 after a goal of $8,500. The fundraiser had reached $13,435 as of Thursday, despite having already closed.
A spokesperson for the family thanked the public for its support and explained the funds were needed immediately following the incident because the man was the only one in the family with a credit card and his wife could not remember the PIN.
Hubertus Liebrecht said the tourist’s credit card was frozen for security reasons after his wife used the wrong PIN several times.
“Also, all items in the rental car were seized by the RCMP after the shooting,” Liebrecht said, adding many hotels had no vacancy. “That is the moment when you need help from other people.”
Liebrecht told Global News the man wasn’t able to talk or move his right side as of Aug. 13 and that doctors weren’t able to remove the bullet from his brain due to risk of further damage. He said the man was returning to Germany and would be treated at a hospital specializing in brain injuries.
No charges have yet been laid in the case.
With files from Heide Pearson and Phil Heidenreich
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