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<\/p>\nCalgary police and the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) are investigating two shootings over the weekend that are believed to be related to a ongoing series of extortions and extortion attempts happening in the city.<\/p>\n
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The first one happened on Sunday, Feb. 22, when two unknown individuals fired several gunshots into a residence located in the 8400 block of Saddleridge Drive N.E., before they fled the area in a white sedan.<\/p>\n
The next night, on Monday, Feb. 23, at around 12:10 a.m., an unknown offender fired several gunshots into a residence in the 300 block of Savanna Park N.E., before fleeing the area on foot.<\/p>\n
Nobody was injured in either incident, but investigators believe they have ties to the ongoing extortion series targeting the South Asian community.<\/p>\n
CPS Deputy Chief Asif Rashid confirmed Monday afternoon that one of the people believed to be targeted in one of the weekend shootings had previously made several reports of extortion to police.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe have engaged in a robust safety planning process with that complainant and their family,\u201d said Rashid.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe have a robust suppression and disruption plan, which we are running every evening and every night in the affected communities. It\u2019s unfortunate that this situation happened despite the suppression plan being in place.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tCalgary Police Service Deputy Chief Asif Rashid, says people who have been the target of extortions are often afraid to come forward for fear of reprisal.\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n
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\u201cIn many cases we found that there is a time lapse between the time when a complainant or victim receives the extortion complaint to when and if there is an act of violence. In many cases that there is a certain taboo, stigma, even fear of reprisal in reporting these kinds of cases to the police,\u201d Rashid added.<\/p>\n
Police don\u2019t know if the same offender was involved in both of the weekend incidents, but Rashid said investigators have identified 28 extortions, including 13 shootings, since the beginning of 2025 that are believed to be related to the ongoing series of extortions targeting the city\u2019s South Asian community.<\/p>\n
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\u201cOffenders are using fear-based tactics to target members of the South Asian community,\u201d said Rashid. \u201cThe requests predominantly have been for cash and large sums of cash in many cases \u2014 sums of cash that people conceivably would not have access to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Calgary police are urging anyone who has been the target of threats or has information about the weekend shootings, or any of the recent extortions, to contact them\u00a0 at 403-266-1234.<\/p>\n
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