I wish I had found this sooner. The folks in Canada have already lost the war, and we hardly heard a shot.
Ian Williams The Edmonton Journal Saturday, March 15, 2003
EDMONTON - A 28-year-old man shot during a south-side stereo shop break-in will likely never be charged with the attempted theft because police made a deal with him, said city police on Friday.
"Police located a man suffering from a gunshot wound but, based on his story, were unable to determine whether his injury and the break-in were connected in any way," said police information officer Annette Bidniak.
"In order to gain a concrete lead in the case, a decision was made at the command level not to charge him with the break-in if he came clean. Police kept their word."
But Bidniak said the man was charged Thursday night with filing a false report and for being in possession of a stolen vehicle.
Early last Sunday, two suspects backed a stolen Chevy Blazer through the front of Audio 5 Point 1. As the pair were trying to remove a plasma-screen television, shots rang out and one man was hit. The pair fled to a waiting car and roared away.
About 25 minutes later a man on the north side reported that he had been shot in a drive-by shooting while walking near 118th Avenue and 86th Street.
On two separate occasions this past week, police armed with search warrants went into the business near 103rd Street and 63rd Avenue where they found a .38-calibre revolver and a .22-calibre rifle.
The owner faces numerous charges including aggravated assault and some firearm charges in the case.
Police are still trying to determine if there was more than one person shooting during the incident, Bidniak said.
The wounded man was expected to be released from hospital on Friday.
Michael Herbert Hamilton, 28, faces a charge of public mischief and possession of stolen property under $5,000.
He was issued a promise to appear in Edmonton provincial court on April 14.
iwilliams@thejournal.canwest.com
