Shootings in Edmonton are up 77% in July compared to last year
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) says shootings in the city rose a whopping 77% last month compared to July 2022.
EPS said last month, there were a total of 23 reported shootings, and of those 23, eight were believed to be targeted.
Twelve of the 23 shootings resulted in injuries, and two resulted in deaths. There were a total of 13 people injured in the 12 shootings.
A further breakdown of the shooting revealed that the incidents involved shots being fired at a person (nine), shots fired at a house (one), shots fired at a vehicle (nine), shots fired in the air (one), and an unknown target (three).
A total of 18 shootings had the potential for innocent bystanders, including children, to be harmed, which is of the greatest concern for police, said Acting Inspector Eric Stewart of the EPS Organized Crime Branch.
“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 Stewart in a news release.
“We continue to work diligently to investigate, arrest and charge those responsible for the gun violence in our communities.”
There have been 127 reported shooting occurrences year-to-date, a 41% increase from last year at this time (90).