The 11-year-old boy who was shot to death along with his father in Edmonton on Thursday was deliberately targeted by the killers, police said Friday.
• Also read: Father and 11-year-old son were shot at close range in Edmonton
Harpreet Singh Uppal, a 41-year-old man linked to the criminal underworld, and his 11-year-old son were sitting in a car in the parking lot of a gas station in the city’s south when they were shot dead around midday. Her death was obvious and was determined by police at the scene.
A friend of the young victim was also in the car. He wasn’t hurt.
According to the police, the murderers specifically targeted the father, whom they followed to the crime scene.
“What we know, unfortunately, is that when the killer or killers learned the son was there, they intentionally killed him,” said Edmonton Police Commissioner Colin Derksen.
“It’s sick and crazy. I think most gang members would agree with that,” he added.
The man shot Thursday and his family had already been targeted in 2021 when a gunman opened fire in the window of a pizzeria where they were eating. Harpreet Singh Uppal was also scheduled to appear in court next May on various charges, including possession of cocaine for the purpose of drug trafficking.
Edmonton police now fear the two murders could lead to a gang war within the city.