A shooting at a community hall in south Edmonton early Sunday morning claimed the life of a 37-year-old man, police say.
The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. at the Royal Gardens Community Hall at 40th Avenue and 117th Street. Police say the injured man was taken to hospital by friends where he died.
Brendon Babiuk who lives nearby told reporters he heard a truck repeatedly speeding up and down the road after 12:30 a.m.
“There was a vehicle ripping and down this road burning out his tires revving up his engine,” he said. A friend texted him half an hour later saying he heard a bunch of banging, commotion and screaming.
Hours later, a number of cars were still in the community centre’s parking lot which was surrounded by yellow police tape. About three officers wearing face masks and blue latex gloves paid particular attention to an older Chevrolet sedan parked in front of the hall.
Officers wearing masks and blue latex gloves were examining a grey Chevrolet Malibu sedan parked in front of the hall. (CBC)
Empty liquor and beer bottles could been seen on the ground. There were black tire tracks on the road that Babiuk said weren’t there on Saturday.
Babiuk has lived in the neighbourhood for four years. He has a young son who plays in the playground next the the hall.
There was a shooting in the apartment next to him last year, and he’s had enough.
“It’s happening too often for comfort in this neighbourhood,” he said. “I think that we’re going to move out. This is the last straw.”