Man fatally shot in southeast Calgary believed to have been targeted by organized crime

Calgary police believe the man killed in daytime shooting Thursday in a quiet southeast neighbourhood was the victim of organized crime. 

In a news release Friday, the Calgary Police Service identified the victim as Ashley Aaron Cuthbert Mawdsley, 40, of Calgary. 

His death marks the 25th homicide in the city this year. Police are still searching for multiple suspects in connection to the killing. 

According to investigators, the shooting happened around 8:30 a.m. in the community of Douglasdale, about 15 kilometres south of the city's downtown. 

Police quickly determined the victim was "targeted," meaning it wasn't a random attack.

Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta, with the police service's homicide unit, told reporters on Friday that the shooting had "all the hallmarks of organized crime," adding the suspects showed complete disregard for the safety of people living in the residential neighbourhood. 

"Even though [the shooting] was targeted, it placed the entire community at risk," he said. 

A stolen vehicle believed to be connected to the shooting, a white 2022 Ford Expedition, was found burnt-out in Foothills County near Okotoks in the hours after the killing, Schiavetta said.

Investigators believe the shooting suspects purchased gas before the killing and used the fuel to burn the SUV after.

Schiavetta asked for community members to come forward with information to help find the suspects. 

"If people in our community do not come forward with information when incidents like this occur, the brazen gun violence that happens in our residential areas throughout the city will continue," he said in a statement. 

Investigators are seeking dashcam footage for a number of specific areas and times on Thursday, including: 

• Douglasdale Boulevard S.E. and eastbound 130th Avenue (toward Deerfoot Trail) between 8:30 a.m. and 8:40 a.m.
• Southbound Deerfoot Trail travelling toward Highway 552 between 8:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. 
• Southbound on Range Road 291 in Foothills County between 8:45 a.m. and 9 a.m.
• Eastbound on 296th Avenue E. to the 6400 block of 296th Avenue E. between 8:45 a.m. and 9 a.m. 

Anyone with relevant dashcam footage is asked to call 911 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or by visiting calgarycrimestoppers.org.