Arrest made after German tourist shot in head near Calgary
Initially thought to be road rage, police now say it may have been a case of mistaken identity
READ THE LATEST ON THIS STORY | Man arrested in shooting of German tourist near Calgary released without charge
One man has been arrested and his vehicle seized by police after a German tourist was shot in the head while driving his family to Banff National Park Thursday.
At 3:20 p.m. MT Friday, Cochrane RCMP seized a black, four-door Chrysler Sebring and detained a man who was at the residence where the car was found.
Police said the man's involvement in the shooting remains under investigation and charges have not yet been laid.
The tourist underwent successful surgery on Thursday night.
"There may or may not be some permanent damage as a result of the trauma yesterday," said Sgt. Tom Kalis of the Cochrane RCMP.
The 60-year-old man, who was travelling with his wife, son and son's girlfriend in a Dodge Durango, lost control of the vehicle after being shot just before noon on Thursday. Kalis said the vehicle travelled a considerable distance off the highway and struck a tree. Police were called to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 1A near Morley, Alta., about 55 kilometres west of Calgary.
Highway 1A is a two-lane road which leads to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
Officers who attended the scene of the crash found a bullet hole in the driver's side window and learned the driver had been shot.
"The rest of the family is doing quite well, but obviously traumatized," said Kalis.
He said RCMP had received a number of tips from the public and were chasing leads in Alberta and B.C.
"We have been able to narrow our investigation," he said.
"We can confirm that [a] black car was passing the Durango operated by the German family and that while it was passing it did lower the passenger side window. A firearm was produced and discharged from the interior of the vehicle."
Kalis said the man driving the black car was white and may have had long, dark hair.
The shooting was originally being investigated as a case of road rage, but police now say it was likely a case of mistaken identity.
"None of the occupants of the Durango were the intended targets of the shooting," RCMP said in a release.
Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP at 1-403-851-8000 or provide a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
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With files from Carolyn Dunn