A recent drive-by shooting is among 27 “events” that the Edmonton Police Service is looking at in connection with their ongoing investigation into extortion attempts targeting people of South Asian descent.
“On Jan. 10, 2024, at approximately 1:10 a.m., a suspect in a vehicle fired shots into a Cy Becker residence occupied by a family with children,” police said in a news release issued Thursday morning. “No one was struck, although bullets were recovered from inside the home.
“The occupants of the home have no known involvement in criminal activity.”
Police said the shooting is the second time that the northeast Edmonton home was targeted and that investigators believe the shooting relates to its extortion investigation.
According to police, investigators working on the case are looking into five extortion attempts, 15 arsons and seven “firearms offences” in connection with the case.
The EPS confirmed a fire that broke out Tuesday at a home under construction in Beaumont, Alta., is the latest event investigators are looking at.
Police have said a number of the arsons appear to be targeting houses under construction being built by homebuilders of South Asian descent.
“No injuries have been reported as a result of the shootings, but a firefighter was injured in one of the arsons,” police said. “An estimated $9 million in property damage has been reported as a result of the arsons and shootings.”
Police noted that while similar events have been reported in B.C. and Ontario, “at this time, investigators do not believe these to be connected to the Edmonton series.”
Staff Sgt. Eric Stewart with the EPS’ guns and gangs section will speak about the probe at a police news conference at 10 a.m. local time.
Anyone with information about the drive-by shooting or other events related to the investigation is asked to call police at 780-423-4567. Photos of a suspect vehicle can be viewed at the bottom of this article.
When speaking with police dispatch, callers can reference file #23-802638. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at http://www.p3tips.com/250.
More to come…
Photo of suspect vehicle in a drive-by shooting in Edmonton’s Cy Becker community on Jan. 10, 2024.
Supplied by EPS
Photo of suspect vehicle in a drive-by shooting in Edmonton’s Cy Becker community on Jan. 10, 2024.
Supplied by EPS