Innocent woman killed in gang shooting

Alberta reserve laments high rate of gun crime

Steve Lillebuen

Canwest News Service

Monday, August 18, 2008

EDMONTON - A 20-year-old Hobbema, Alta., woman has been killed in a gang-related shooting after a bullet was fired from outside her home Saturday, flying through a wall and striking her, a day after a man in the same home was grazed by a bullet.

Just before midnight, several residents on the Samson townsite called police to report hearing a shot.

The woman was found suffering from a single gunshot wound. She was airlifted to an Edmonton hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Police have no suspects at this time, but believe gang activity is involved, Cpl. Darrel Bruno of the Hobbema RCMP said. "When something like this happens, when an innocent person becomes victimized like this, it's definitely a great tragedy," he said.

The evening before the woman was killed, a man was wounded at the same residence when a bullet grazed his arm, police said.

RCMP officers are investigating the homicide with assistance from Calgary's major crimes unit and a forensic unit from

Red Deer.

The First Nations reserve is in the middle of a gun amnesty campaign launched as a community response to continued violence and gang activity on the reserve. Last year, Hobbema RCMP responded to more than 230 firearms-related complaints.

In April, 23-month-old Asia Saddleback was shot in a drive-by shooting. The incident galvanized the community to do something to end the escalating violence, Carolyn Buffalo, a councillor for the Montana First Nation, said when the gun amnesty was announced in July.