Shot driver on life support after northeast Edmonton crime spree
Road rage victim, 38, not known to suspects, police say
A 38-year-old man described by police as an "innocent motorist" is in life-threatening condition after he was shot following a road-rage incident in north Edmonton late Tuesday.
The victim is on life support and is not expected to survive.
"Homicide section was called in last night because we do not expect the male, the innocent motorist who was driving, to survive his injuries," said Edmonton police Staff Sgt. Bill Clark at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
"It's a very, very serious and tragic incident," Clark added. "This was basically a crime spree committed by these individuals that who were no doubt on a rampage last night."
The driver was shot following a road rage incident involving one of two stolen vehicles at the intersection of Manning Drive and 153rd Avenue, police said in a news release.
After the driver was shot, he lost control of his vehicle and veered into a ditch at Manning Drive and 18th Street.
The two stolen vehicles were followed by the Edmonton police helicopter to Gibbons, where the suspects were stopped by Edmonton police and Fort Saskatchewan RCMP.
'Simply out of control'
Police are linking one of the stolen vehicles to a kidnapping that occurred around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday near 106th Avenue and 123rd Street. Two men were abducted at gunpoint, assaulted and robbed. The incident was related to drugs, Clark said.
Police learned of the kidnapping when one of the men escaped the vehicle and called police.
The second stolen vehicle was taken from Fort Saskatchewan on Tuesday, police said.
Police said five people are in custody — two men, one male minor, and two female minors.
Charges have not yet been laid.
"Some of these individuals are simply out of control," Clark said. "We need to keep these individuals in jail for long periods of time or we're just going to keep on arresting them."
With files from Kaylen Small