Shootings in Edmonton rose 77 per cent in July 2023 compared with the same month in 2022, according to Edmonton police.
In a news release Thursday, the EPS said there were 23 reported shootings in July of this year. Of those, eight are believed to be targeted, 12 resulted in injuries (13 people injured) and two were fatal, police said.
Nine of these cases involved shots being fired at a person, one involved shots fired at a house, nine were shots fired at a vehicle, one was shots fired in the air and three involved shots at an unknown target, according to the EPS.
Police said 18 of those 23 shootings could have hurt bystanders, including children.
The news release said that “monthly shooting totals in Edmonton continue to increase.”
“Over the last several years, we’ve increasingly seen greater disregard by the criminal element for where and when they exhibit their violent behaviour,” said acting inspector Eric Stewart of the EPS organized crime branch.
“We continue to work diligently to investigate, arrest and charge those responsible for the gun violence in our communities.”
Year to date, the EPS said there have been 127 reported shootings in Edmonton, a 41 per cent increase from last year at this time, when there were 90.
More to come.
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