Calgary

One man charged following police officer shooting

A 25-year-old Calgary man faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, in connection to another shooting last month.

25-year-old Calgary man faces multiple charges connected to incident last month

An ambulance and a car parked in front of a strip mall sign.
A Calgary man arrested after a shooting at a plaza in Falconridge on Wednesday is facing multiple charges in connection to an earlier shooting, police say. (Lorna Sandberg/CBC)

A man arrested following an incident Wednesday that resulted in a Calgary police officer being shot has been charged in connection to an earlier shooting, Calgary police say.

At approximately 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 30, police received reports of gunshots being exchanged between two vehicles on westbound Glenmore Trail, near 37th Street S.W. 

Both vehicles fled the scene before police arrived. No injuries were reported.

Roughly 30 minutes later, police responded to a call that a man had been shot while parking his vehicle in the 100 block of Seton Passage S.E. Police said officers found a man at the scene suffering from gunshot wounds. 

"Investigators determined that these shootings were connected and worked to identify several potential suspects," Calgary police said in a statement Thursday.

"It is believed that both the offenders and victim are associated to rival organized crime groups in Calgary, and that the victim was targeted due to this conflict."

On Wednesday in the northeast community of Falconridge, while attempting to arrest two suspects connected to the September shootings, police say gunfire was exchanged, resulting in one officer being shot and a suspect fatally wounded. The officer was transported to hospital in stable condition.

A second suspect was taken into custody, and upon his arrest, officers say they located a loaded handgun in his possession. Police say officers executed a search warrant on the suspect's vehicle on Thursday, which resulted in the seizure of two additional loaded handguns.

A 25-year-old Calgary man has been charged with one count each of attempted murder, discharge a firearm with intent, possession of stolen property over $5,000, unlawful possession of a firearm in a vehicle, unlawful possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition, possession of a weapon obtained by crime and possession of a restricted firearm contrary to a prohibition order. He will next appear in court on Oct. 27.

In a media availability on Wednesday evening, Calgary Police Service deputy acting Chief Cliff O'Brien said the officer has been released from hospital.  

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and police say no additional details can be released.