Sounds of “pop, pop, pop” drew Wasakoo Towers residents to their windows early Wednesday evening.
Around 7:30 p.m., residents heard what sounded like five gunshots in the area of 54th Street and 48th Avenue.
A few residents said they looked out their windows immediately after and saw three men “booking it” down 54th Street and running between an alley way between two apartment buildings on 48th Avenue.
“I heard pop, pop, pop and I knew it was gunshots,” said a resident who did not wish to be identified.
Red Deer City RCMP confirmed there were multiple shots and a 29-year-old man was shot in the vicinity of 49th Avenue and 54th Street last evening. The victim was taken to an Edmonton hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Few details were released about the incident because it remains under investigation. However police said there was an altercation between the two groups which lead to the shooting. The two groups were known to each other.
The Red Deer Mohawk gas station (5407- 49 Ave.) and 54th Street between 49th Avenue and 48th Avenue was taped off for a few hours immediately after the incident. On Thursday morning, police were looking for video surveillance of the area from nearby stores.
Matthew Sage, the manager of the Liquor Store, on 49th Avenue, across the street from the Mohawk was shocked to hear there was a shooting in the relatively safe neighbourhood. Sage wasn’t on shift last night but when his employee called him he was surprised.
“Never thought something like that would happen here,” said Sage, noting his employee was not alarmed because there were many police vehicles at the scene. “This is the first time something happened so close.”
If you have any information about this, call Red Deer City RCMP at 403-343-5575 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com