Editor’s note: Two addresses in this story have been updated after receiving corrected information from police.
Edmonton police say their resources were stretched over the weekend as officers were called to investigate five unrelated shootings over the course of three days.
Between Friday and Sunday, there were two shootings in central Edmonton, two in north Edmonton and one in the city’s southwest.
“One of these shootings was directed at a residence and three were directed at vehicles, including one vehicle in a very public downtown parkade and one vehicle that we believe was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Staff Sgt. Eric Stewart with the Edmonton Police Service’s guns and gangs section of the organized crime branch.
“Outside of the strain this put on our resources, particularly in downtown and northeast Edmonton, the safety risk to the general public in these incidents was significant.”
One person was injured but police said the man is expected to recover. Police said none of the shootings are believed to be linked.
“We are surprised and thankful that there were not more injured parties,” Stewart said.
The first shooting happened just before midnight Friday in the area of 114 Street and 17 Avenue SW. Police said a shot was heard and vehicle was seen fleeing the area. A bullet hole was found in a nearby home. No injuries were reported.
Two shootings happened on Saturday, the first just after 12:30 a.m. in the area of 127 Avenue and 119 Street. Police said a vehicle in an area alley has several bullet holes in its windows. No injuries were reported.
Then, at around 4 a.m. Saturday, police were called to a local hospital after a man arrived with a gunshot wound. The man reported being surrounded by a group of men who demanded his bicycle in the area of 104 Avenue and 119 Street, according to police.
Officers said when the man refused to give up his bike, he was shot. He was then dropped off at the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Police did not say at which hospital he was dropped off.
On Sunday, police were called to a parkade in the area of 102 Avenue and 102 Street at about 2:45 a.m. Police said two vehicles had fled the scene by the time officers arrived, but multiple bullet casings were found at the scene.
Just after 9 p.m. Sunday, police said a driver was heading east on 137 Avenue near 66 Street when he heard a loud bang. He pulled over and noticed a bullet hole in his vehicle. No one was injured in this shooting.
As of Oct. 16, police have responded to 127 shootings in Edmonton — or nearly one every two days. Police said 50 per cent of the shootings have resulted in injuries and 84 per cent are considered targeted.
About 61 per cent of the shootings had the potential for innocent bystanders to be injured – one shooting did result in a bystander being hit by a stray bullet.
“It’s unfortunate but factual to say that shootings and firearm seizures are a regular occurrence in Edmonton,” Stewart said. “While the majority of this violence remains targeted, the risk to citizens remains real and we will continue to work diligently to mitigate it.”
So far this year, 528 firearms have been taken off the streets, which police said is an increase of 76 since Aug. 31.