In a tragic incident in Edmonton, Canada, Harpreet Singh Uppal, an Indian-origin Sikh man described as a "higher-level figure" in the local organized crime scene, and his 11-year-old son were fatally shot outside a gas station in broad daylight. The police, terming it a "sick and twisted" escalation of gang violence, revealed that the boy's young friend, present in Uppal's car during the shooting, survived unharmed, PTI reported.
Edmonton Police Service acting Supt. Colin Derksen expressed shock over the deliberate killing of the child, noting that targeting children was previously considered a "line in the sand" that gang members avoided crossing. The perpetrators, who followed Uppal, apparently discovered the child's presence and intentionally shot and killed him.
The police discovered a burned stolen vehicle, a 2012 BMW X6, north of Beaumont, suspected to be linked to the crime. As of now, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been identified.
Uppal, considered a "higher-level figure" in Edmonton's organized crime, was facing charges related to cocaine possession, trafficking, and illegal possession of body armor, with a trial scheduled for April 2024. His murder is believed to be part of an ongoing conflict between the UN gang and the Brothers Keepers, with recent tit-for-tat slayings happening across the country.
This tragic event follows the killing of B.C. UN gangster Parmvir Chahil in Toronto, raising concerns about possible connections between the two incidents. Edmonton, like other Canadian cities, has been grappling with a surge in shootings and gang-related crimes, and the death of a child has intensified efforts to solve this latest act of violence.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith expressed deep sorrow over the child's death, emphasizing the alarming rise in gun violence in neighborhoods.
