South Edmonton shooting suspect arrested in Ontario

© Provided by Edmonton Journal Southwest division patrol officers responded to a shooting around 3 a.m., Sept. 3, 2022, after reports of shots fired near 82 Avenue and 109 Street, police said in a news release.

A man suspected of shooting and injuring a woman near Whyte Avenue in September has been arrested in Ontario, police said Tuesday.

At a news conference Downtown, Staff Sgt. Eric Stewart with Edmonton Police Service (EPS) gun and gang section described the incident as a random act of violence that saw the victim shot in the chest unprovoked and at close range in a vehicle.

“This file is a good example of a way in which evidence gathering and witness information come together to build a case to support charges,” Stewart said.

At about 3 a.m. on Sept. 3, officers responded to reports of gunfire near Whyte Avenue and 109 Street  where a woman in her 20s was reportedly shot before she was transported to hospital in a private vehicle.

Stewart said the victim was out with friends when the accused joined the group and they all shared a ride home before the shooting. Witnesses quickly rushed the woman to the hospital where doctors conducted emergency surgery, he added.

The woman survived, and police investigating the shooting were directed to Halton, Ont., southwest of Toronto, where they coordinated with local police who executed a search warrant on a residence and vehicle in Etobicoke, Edmonton police said in a news release.

Halton police seized a Glock in the search and arrested a 33-year-old Khatar Mohamed Mussa, Edmonton police said, adding that Mussa has been charged with attempted murder while using a restricted firearm, possession of a loaded restricted or prohibited firearm and possession of a firearm knowing it to be unauthorized.

“We haven’t yet been able to determine if that is our suspect weapon,” Stewart said. “We’re doing testing on that, and it’ll take some time to figure that out.”

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Mussa was remanded into custody on Friday, police said.

While investigating the crime scene in September, officers also arrested a man in his 20s seen shooting into a crowd.

There were no injuries in the second shooting, which was unrelated to the original response, police said Tuesday, and the man arrested in September was charged with 12 firearm-related offences including assault with a weapon, discharging a firearm with intent and possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order.

Stewart thanked Chilliwack, B.C., RCMP for providing assistance with witness interviews in the case, as well as Halton Regional Police Service.

In a statement supplied by EPS, Halton police Insp. Dave Costantini said the service is pleased to have worked with officers in Edmonton to “bring the accused in this violent crime into custody and bring some measure of closure to those impacted.”

— With files from Nicole Bergot

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