Edmonton communities reeling after man, 11-year-old boy killed in shooting
CBC
Edmontonians say they're shaken by a fatal daytime shooting of a man and his 11-year-old son in a busy suburban shopping area.
Ward Karhiio Coun. Keren Tang represents a southeast area of the city that includes the Harvest Pointe commercial plaza, where 41-year-old Harpreet Uppal and his son were shot dead in their vehicle around noon on Thursday.
Police say Uppal was followed and targeted, and the boy was also "intentionally" killed.
"Quite honestly, as a parent, I don't have the words to adequately describe how devastated I feel," Tang said.
"I can't fathom the circumstance in which anyone would want to target, and intentionally harm and kill, a child."
Another boy, who wasn't related to Uppal, was also in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, but wasn't shot, police said.
WATCH | Police characterized the shooting as gang-related
By Friday afternoon, the yellow police tape around the scene outside a combined Petro-Canada and A&W had been removed.
Flowers, a stuffed lion and a red basketball jersey were assembled at a growing memorial near the gas pumps.
Speaking at a news conference earlier Friday, Edmonton Police Service acting Supt. Colin Derksen said the loss of a child to gun violence is an "unthinkable tragedy."
He added that the shooting posed a serious danger to everyone in the area at the time.
"The risk to members of the public was significant and terrifying," he said.
"This incident is just another reminder, a stark reminder, of the dangers that bystanders face when violence erupts in public spaces. And I wish I didn't have to say things like that. But unfortunately, it's happening all too often."
Police have not released any suspect descriptions. They are asking any witnesses of anyone with security or dashcam footage to contact them.