Man chased, shot at while on walk with kids in west Edmonton: police

Edmonton police are investigating a shooting that happened Saturday evening in the Ormsby Place neighbourhood.

Several 911 callers reported gunshots in the area of Ormsby Crescent around 6:45 p.m.

Police say a man was out for a walk with his family, including two young children, when a red Nissan Rogue was driven up behind them.

Two masked people got out of the SUV and started to chase the man southeast through the green space between Ormsby Crescent and Ormsby Road East while shooting at him.

They eventually returned to their SUV and left the area.

Neither the man, his family, nor any community members were hurt.

"What I do want to convey was how absolutely irresponsible this act was, electing to shoot up a neighbourhood filled with families in broad daylight. We could easily be talking about life-threatening injuries or homicides here today," said Acting Insp. Eric Stewart of the Edmonton Police Service's Organized Crime Branch during a Wednesday news conference.

Police say the complainant was known to police and they believe the incident was targeted.

"We have spoken to the complainant," Stewart said.

"Right now we're not getting much cooperation from the individual."

While police are calling the shooting targeted, Stewart says it is not gang related.

Edmonton police released a photo of two people exiting a red Nissan Rogue before shooting at a man multiple times in west Edmonton on June 24, 2023. (Credit: Edmonton Police Service)

With the target not cooperating, Stewart says police are looking for information from the public to solve the case.

"Obviously we want any witness information, other video in the area, it's a large neighbourhood."

Stewart said at this point there have been no reports of property damage from the shooting.

"We're asking the public to take a look at their houses, especially in the back that come on to the Ormsby green space, to see if they can find any damage out there. Sometimes it's very hard to see it."

Police have linked one of the guns used on Saturday to a shooting that happened earlier this year.

Stewart wouldn't provide further details, but said no one was injured in that shooting.

He said this incident follows a recent trend of brazen shootings in Edmonton.

"We're seeing more of these types of reckless, careless type shooting events. They're happening more in broad daylight hours, in residential areas where there's families, potential for kids to be playing," he said. "There used to be a bit of a respect level amongst these groups, but clearly by this and what we've seen historically in some other events it seems to be gone out the window."

Anyone with information that could identify the shooters or the red Nissan SUV is asked to call police at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.