Firearm violence has been a growing problem in Edmonton for years, however, Edmonton police say the number of shootings reported in the city dropped in July compared to the year before.
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) in a news release Thursday said they investigated 11 shootings through the month of July, which is 14 fewer than July 2023.
Of the 11 reported shootings investigated, 10 are believed to be targeted, and four resulted in injuries. In nine of the 11 shootings, there was potential for innocent bystanders to be harmed. There were two deaths as a result of the shooting occurrences, said EPS.
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Staff Sergeant Eric Stewart, with the EPS Guns and Gangs Section said, “Looking at six of seven months so far in 2024, we can see a significant decrease in our city’s shooting totals.”
According to EPS, shootings are down by 56 per cent compared to July 2023. Year to date, shootings continue to decrease and are down 39 per cent when compared to the same timeframe in 2023.
“While we know gun violence can be difficult to predict, this trend is very encouraging and shows that our focus on curbing gun violence and the expansion of our Firearms Investigation Units and Gang Suppression Teams are paying off,” Stewert added.
Police also note they have seized 53 firearms in July, and 471 overall in 2024. This time last year, 625 firearms were seized in the same time period.