In an unnerving chain of events, a Calgary resident found himself apprehended by authorities last Wednesday, in an incident tied to an officer-involved shooting in northeast Calgary that led to the demise of a man, a law enforcer seriously wounded, and left local entrepreneurs in shock.
Authorities clarified that the arrest was linked to a shooting that occurred in late September. On the afternoon of September 30th, police were alerted of a shooting between two vehicles on the westbound Glenmore Trail near 37 Street S.W. Though both vehicles quickly fled the scene, no injuries were reported.
Approximately half an hour later, the police received a distress call from a residence in Seton Passage S.E., where a man was reported to be shot while parking. Upon arrival, the officers discovered a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was promptly transported to the hospital in grave condition. A following investigation unveiled that the shooter had also marked four nearby homes with bullet damage before absconding in a stolen vehicle.
Diligent probing led authorities to connect the two shootings and identify the suspects. It was believed that these suspects were part of rival criminal factions who targeted the victim. Thus, the tactical unit was brought in to arrest the suspects.
The curtain of tension fell again on Wednesday afternoon, around 2:40 p.m. on Falsbridge Drive N.E., while in the process of arresting the suspects. An officer-involved shooting resulted in one suspect falling dead, a police officer being rushed to the hospital in stable condition, and the second suspect locked up in custody with a loaded handgun in his possession. A search warrant executed on the suspect’s vehicle the following Thursday yielded two additional loaded handguns.
Twenty-five-year-old Thanh Nguyen from Calgary was subsequently charged with counts of attempted murder, discharging a firearm with intent, possession of stolen property over $5,000, unlawful possession of a firearm in a vehicle, unlawful possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition, possession of a weapon obtained by crime, and possession of a restricted firearm contrary to a prohibition order. On Friday, October 27th, Nguyen will be brought before the court.
During a press briefing late Wednesday evening, Acting Deputy Chief Cliff O’Brien stated, “It’s never easy when one of our own is hurt while answering the call to serve Calgarians each and every day.” O’Brien confirmed that the injured officer, an 11-year member of the service, had been released from the hospital. However, the officer’s name and unit information were not disclosed.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), the province’s police watchdog, has taken up the case for investigation.
Business owners in the vicinity were left troubled and shaken. Max Belmonte, the manager of Trail Tire Auto Centres, had an unobstructed view to the daytime shooting. He vividly recounts hearing “three pops” and seeing smoke before police descended upon the scene. Despite the sudden turmoil, Belmonte prioritized the safety of his employees and customers over his own shock.
Coincidentally, the shooting took place just outside Falconridge Barber Shop. Its owner Saleh Hammoud was busy attending a customer when a bullet whizzed past heedlessly, damaging a pane of his shop’s front door. Though he feels thankful for the additional protection of double-paned windows, Hammoud hopes the city will compensate for the hit his storefront took.
As the city strives to bring a sense of normalcy back, the investigation continues, the echoes of the frightened witnesses still lingering in the air.
