The Edmonton Police Service Homicide section is investigating, after a man was shot in the parking lot of a north side mall late Tuesday night.
Police were called to the upper parkade at Londonderry Mall after 9 p.m. Tuesday, after gunshots were heard – and a man was found suffering from gunshot wounds.
When officers arrived, they said witnesses were doing CPR on the victim, described as a man in his 20s.
The victim was rushed to hospital, but succumbed to his injuries.
A number of parked cars were damaged in the shooting – police said witnesses reported hearing several gunshots.
As police began their investigation, officers kept about 20 possible witnesses who were in the mall at the time of the shooting, for about two hours.
Tom Patkowski’s wife and young son were two of those people, Patkowski said she had taken their son to a class inside the mall and was inside when the shooting happened.
“She was just trying to leave the mall, and she wasn’t allowed to leave,” Patkowski said. “We have an 8-year-old boy who’s a little scared, because of all the police actions, and not being able to leave.”
On the scene, police said they were looking for multiple suspects, but did not have many details to share.
“Right now it’s really early on in the investigation; we’re searching for more than one suspect,” Acting Insp. Erik Johnson said late Tuesday night. “The victim himself was known to police, and we don’t think this was a random act.”
No other injuries were reported, although there was some property damage.
"There were multiple vehicles that suffered from gunshots," Acting Insp. Erik Johnson said. "Fortunately, fate smiled on us tonight and no one else was injured."
The EPS Gang Unit is also helping with the investigation, although police said it's not clear if the incident was gang-related.
Londonderry Mall officials said security staff have shared surveillance footage with police, and are cooperating with the investigation.
On Wednesday afternoon, police said they would update the public on their investigation Thursday – when autopsy results are expected to be released.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Edmonton Police Service non-emergency line at 780-423-4567 or #377 on a mobile phone.
Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
With files from Veronica Jubinville