Spike in northeast gang shootings brings hundreds out to town hall meeting

Concerned northeast Calgary residents were out in force again at a public meeting Tuesday evening, continuing to seek answers to questions on how to deal with a spike in gang violence in their community.

There were four shooting deaths in northeast Calgary this spring and so far in 2019 police say there have been 23 shootings.

That includes an incident where two men were shot and injured on a driveway at a house in Saddle Ridge earlier this month.

Citywide there have been 53 shooting incidents in total so far in 2019, according to police.

Tuesday's public safety and community violence town hall meeting at the Genesis Centre in Martindale was organized by Ward 5 Coun. George Chahal, with a panel including: Calgary Police Service, Alberta Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer, Community and Social Services Minister Rajan Sawhney, YouthLink's executive director Tara Robinson, and Ward 5 and 10 school board trustee Marilyn Dennis. 

The meeting follows a protest march last month which saw hundreds of South Asian residents turn out to highlight their concerns and to appeal to police to do more to tackle gang-related crimes.

"We have to do things better sometimes," said Deputy Chief Sat Parhar with Calgary Police Service.

"Working with our partners and collaborating with all of our other sectors like health services and schools, I think we have to maybe start doing business a little bit differently," said Parhar.

Jasdeep Singh, 25, and Japneet Malhi, 22, were found shot dead in a car in the 2400 block of 37th Avenue N.E., adjacent to Barlow Trail, in April 2019, in what police called a targeted attack.

Then in May, Bikramjit Dhindsa, 49, was found dead after four people entered his home in the 100 block of Hampstead Close N.W. in the Hamptons.

At the time, police said they were looking into possible connections with other recent homicides in Calgary and that they were in touch with police in Vancouver to consider connections with violence on the Lower Mainland.

Also in May, 23-year-old Rishabh Saini was shot dead in a vehicle in Taradale. Calgary police said they were open to the possibility that drugs and organized crime were involved.

As well as the four killings, there have been bullets shot into homes as warnings and people shot and injured outside homes in other violent incidents, including a shooting outside a popular northeast music venue.

"It only works if the community works together, and I'm talking just about citizens but also all of our leaders, our leaders have to also step up," said Parhar, talking about working toward addressing the problem of young South Asian men being attracted to gang life.

"We all have to play a role," he said.

Coun. Chahal says the meeting was the start of a conversation. The audience got to submit questions which were read to the panel and discussed.

"It shows to the community that we are taking action that we are working together to get results on this important issue," said Chahal, who added that upcoming cuts to the city budget shouldn't impact front-line policing in the quadrant.

Chahal says he'd like to see a bigger focus on schools working with kids at an early age to steer them away from gang life.

"I think we need to work better at a younger age in our schools. I think early intervention is extremely important and finding resources will go a long way moving forward," said Chahal.