Police are searching for two male suspects responsible for the shooting that killed one and injured an innocent bystander outside of the North Hill Co-op on Monday night. 

During a media availability on Tuesday afternoon, Staff Sgt. Mike Shute from the Calgary Police Service’s Homicide Unit said that the deceased, who has been identified as Leslie Cole, 35, is believed to be the target of organized crime.

The shooting, which happened just before 8 p.m. on May 11, happened in the grocery store’s parking lot, located at 520 – 16 Avenue NE. Police said that Cole died shortly after they arrived, and that the injured man, whose name has yet to be released, remains stable in the hospital awaiting surgery. 

Shute said that the injured man was an innocent bystander who was not known to the deceased or connected to the shooting. At the time of the incident, he said that the man was not trying to intervene but rather attempting to flee the area to safety, which resulted in him being shot.

“It is concerning when it is just an innocent victim that may be just out for their daily walk, shopping, or going about their daily business…and they become the victim of an event,” said Shute. 

“It’s our basis to protect the citizens of Calgary, and when we have an event like this, we’re certainly concerned. It elevates our risk.”

Shute said that the victim had a criminal history with the police, but did not disclose the specifics. Despite a regular resident being affected by the event, he reiterated that the police do not foresee any further risk to the public.

Not in my backyard, says Ward 4 city councillor

Organized crime incidents sometimes lead to retaliation, but Shute said that the police do not expect gang-related flare-ups to become a problem in the near future. He emphasized that residents should call 911 if they see something unfolding. 

“I don’t think that there’s anything that’s specifically ongoing that we can see at this particular time, that we are concerned that citizens of Calgary are going to have to put themselves on alert,” said Shute. 

“We believe it is related to organized crime, and unfortunately, this is certainly something that comes with growing cities, is gangs, organized crime, guns, drugs, and other events.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly spoke with the media outside the city hall chambers. He said he lives just a couple of blocks away from the Co-op and empathizes with other residents in the area. 

“I understand how scary this is, and I want to assure all of us that this is an incredibly abnormal situation,” said Kelly. 

“A brazen daylight shooting like this, a targeted attack, is incredibly rare in Calgary, but it happened in our neighbourhood.”

Before offering a straight-to-the-point statement, he recommended that the perpetrators turn themselves in. 

“Get the fuck out of our city. We have no interest in you. You have no value to our society,” said Kelly. 

“You are not the kind of person who makes Calgary one of the greatest cities in the greatest country in the world.”

The investigation is ongoing, as no arrests have been made and no one is in custody yet.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has footage of it has been asked to contact the police’s non-emergency line at (403) 226-1234 or to report it anonymously through Crime Stoppers.