On March 31 a suspected gang-related shooting occurred on the Samson First Nation Reserve. RCMP responded at 11:23 p.m. to a firearms complaint on Hwy 2A near Knotts Landing in Hobbema. A 20 year-old male victim was located and taken to a hospital in Edmonton with non-life-threatening injuries.
The matter is still under investigation and the Hobbema RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance in this act of violence.
Funeral shooting
Hobbema RCMP responded to an assault on the Samson townsite at 2 a.m. on April 2. Their investigation revealed a 16 year-old male suspect who had pulled out two handguns and made threats towards two female victims. The suspect then fled toward the Howard Buffalo Memorial Centre.
At 2:07 a.m. a wake was being held at the Howard Buffalo Memorial Centre. While the police were searching for the suspect inside the centre several shots were fired outside causing the public to panic and run inside the gymnasium. A dark coloured four door Chrysler Intrepid was observed speeding away from the scene and was later located abandoned south of Hobbema on the Montana Bridge road. As the vehicle was being towed another complaint of shots being fired in the Samson townsite occurred and after immediate patrols were made RCMP were unable to locate the suspects. In this incident there were no injuries reported to police and no arrests have been made.
This matter also continues to be investigated by the Hobbema Community Response Unit and the Hobbema RCMP.
Should you have information on this crime contact the Hobbema RCMP at 780-585-3893 or if you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.crimestoppers.ab.ca