Pubdate: Fri, 04 Mar 2016
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2016 The Calgary Sun
Contact: http://www.calgarysun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.calgarysun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67
Author: Reid Southwick
Page: 3

FOUR SUSPECTS NABBED OVER VIOLENT DRUG-TURF-FUELLED CRIME SPREE

Four people are behind bars after a series of violent incidents - 
including a shooting and kidnapping - motivated by a downtown drug 
turf war, say police.

Investigators believe the suspects, all of no fixed address, are 
linked to the attacks, meant to intimidate members of a rival drug network.

One victim of the shooting was not involved in the drug trade and was 
in the wrong place, at the wrong time, Insp. Don Coleman said.

"People involved in drug trafficking (were) trying to intimidate each 
other to get more space downtown," Coleman told reporters, adding 
that methamphetamine was the drug of choice.

A four-month investigation led detectives to believe the kidnapping 
and the shooting were not only connected, but were orchestrated by 
the same individual and were driven by illegal drug trafficking.

A slashing also occurred in October when a man standing downtown was 
asked by an unknown man if he was selling drugs.

When the man said, 'No,' the assailant produced a knife and cut the 
victim across the face before running away.

The kidnapping incident occurred in November on Stephen Avenue when 
two vehicles, a blue Dodge Caliber and a grey Chevy Cruz that were 
operating in tandem, stopped near a group of people gathered near 1 St. S.W.

Police believe the victim was kidnapped and taken to numerous 
locations in Calgary where he was viciously assaulted, yet he never 
came forward to police and was never reported missing.

Coleman said it took investigators roughly four months to piece all 
three violent attacks together, largely because all but one of the 
victims were uncooperative.

The only cooperative victim was a bystander hit by a nighttime 
shooting, which happened a day after the kidnaping, Coleman said.

A man and a woman, both in their 20s, were standing in the 200 block 
of 8 Ave. S.W., when a blue Dodge Caliber drove up and those inside 
the vehicle fired a weapon before fleeing the scene.

Both were injured and taken to hospital in serious but stable condition.

"That could have easily been a double homicide, not to mention the 
people inside the restaurant where there was one bullet that hit the 
window," Coleman said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom