National

Edmonton police investigate extortions, arsons targeting South Asian community

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Jan, 2024 10:52 AM

Police say they are investigating a string of extortions targeting businesspeople in the Edmonton area's South Asian community, in which properties have been torched and shot at.

Police say they're investigating 27 events where suspects have demanded large sums of money.

Police now investigating 27 events in extortion series

The Edmonton Police Service is asking the public to come forward to report extortion and assist in identifying a suspect vehicle in a drive-by shooting connected to the recent extort… https://t.co/OayXWNChxk pic.twitter.com/FcLUZ6FQDe
— Edmonton Police (@edmontonpolice) January 18, 2024

Should those targeted not pay, police say the suspects then burn new home builds, show homes or related property.

Police say the suspects appear to know personal information of those they have targeted.

The police service says suspects have also made followup demands for more money, leading to an escalation of violence and drive-by shootings.

Police say the latest shooting involved a home last week in the Cy Becker neighbourhood, and the family inside had no record of criminal involvement.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. non-profits to receive $60 million from government to help with their work: Eby

Certain non-profit organizations in British Columbia are getting $60 million from the government in grant funding to help them do their work. Premier David Eby says the help of non-profits is crucial and they benefit the people of B.C. with community supports, arts and cultural services and assistance to find affordable housing.

B.C. non-profits to receive $60 million from government to help with their work: Eby

B.C. raises pay $2 per hour for daycare workers at licensed facilities

B.C.'s Education and Child Care Ministry says the $2-per-hour raise and previous wage boosts totalling $4 an hour since 2018 will increase the hourly wage for early childhood educators to $28 per hour. The ministry says early childhood educators who hold specialized certificates for infant, toddler and special needs education are also eligible for up to $3,000 extra per year.

B.C. raises pay $2 per hour for daycare workers at licensed facilities

Joly to plead for humanitarian pauses as she says time is running out to help in Gaza

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says time is running out to help people in Gaza. In a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto this afternoon, Joly is expected to plead for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas conflict to allow more aid to get into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which is home to more than two million Palestinians.

Joly to plead for humanitarian pauses as she says time is running out to help in Gaza

Poilievre calls on Liberals to exempt all forms of home heating from carbon price

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the Liberals to exempt all forms of home heating from the carbon price, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an exemption for three years that only applies to home heating oil. The federal government announced last week that it is increasing the carbon price rebate for rural Canadians and lifting the carbon price off home heating oil entirely for the next three years.

Poilievre calls on Liberals to exempt all forms of home heating from carbon price

Cold snap hits BC

An unseasonable cold snap covering much of the province broke records over the weekend, including one that had been in place for more than a century. Environment Canada reports at least eight new lows for the record books, such as Nelson’s low of at minus 4.9 degrees, exceeding the 4.4 degrees set in 1905.

Cold snap hits BC

BC safety coalition to launch today

A new provincewide public safety coalition that includes community and business groups, citizens and well-known B-C retailers is set to launch today. A statement says the coalition wants governments to work together and act quickly on crime and violence issues in communities across B-C.