Calgary police have laid charges in connection with a recent shooting that sent a man to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The incident was one of three shootings that took place in the city over the weekend.
The 35-year-old victim, whose condition has been updated to critical, police said on Monday, was rushed to hospital at about 1 a.m. on Sunday after he was shot during a home invasion in the 100 block of Martin Crossing Park N.E.
Later that day, police identified a suspect and searched a home in the 0-100 block of Woodview Terrace S.W., eventually arresting a man.
Officers also searched a home in the 0-100 block of Martinwood Mews N.E., where witnesses reported an assault happened sometime before the shooting. Police are still investigating that incident and no charges have been laid.
Investigators said they believe both incidents were targeted and somehow linked, as the people involved in both the assault and home invasion are connected to each other.
Police said Monday that 28-year-old Bangamin Salviu Anny has been charged with discharging a firearm with intent, using a firearm during a robbery, having a firearm without a licence and having a firearm while prohibited. Anny is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 5.
As of Monday afternoon, it was not known how many people were involved in the home invasion or whether Anny was involved in the prior assault. Police said they expect more charges could be laid in relation to both incidents.
The weekend shootings are the latest in what officials are calling an uptick in gun violence in Calgary and has police trying to reassure the public that investigators are doing what they can to get a handle on the ongoing situation.
“We have numerous resources dedicated to investigating, suppressing and enforcing gun violence in our city,” said Staff Sgt. Greg Cooper with the Guns & Gangs Unit.
“These shootings cause significant concern for public safety and we are actively targeting individuals that have the potential for committing violence in our city.”
The Calgary Police Service said it’s “committed to ensuring that Calgary remains a safe place to live,” adding that addressing the increase in violence and shootings is a priority across several areas of the police force.
Councillor George Chahal also expressed his concern Monday over the increase in gun violence in the city.
“There’s been a number of shootings and I’m deeply concerned for what’s transpired over the weekend,” he said. “We’ve seen a rash of gun violence across our city this year and we need to start taking action at all levels of government.
“We’re seeing it happen in northeast Calgary, but also all over the city. It’s increased significantly in our city and I had proposed a multi-faceted approach to this issue and we’re continuing to work on that.”
Calgary police said they did not have an update on the investigation into the other two shootings that happened over the weekend.
Anyone with information on gun violence in the city is asked to call police at 403-266-1234 or to contact CrimeStoppers.