Police say they’re concerned after a recent string of shootings – many of which happened just a few blocks apart in Pleasant Hill.
“We’ve had several in the 100 and 200 blocks of Avenue R and 20th Street, 20th Street and Avenue Q, in that area. I’m not sure why they’re in that specific area. We have some idea but nothing concrete at this point,” Saskatoon Police Service Staff Sgt. Grant Obst said.
“Almost all the cases, it's got some kind of gang affiliation or a gang related theme to it.”
Two teens, aged 15 and 17 are facing second degree murder charges after 31-year-old Mark Enwaya was found dead in an alley Tuesday evening in the 100 block of Avenue Q South. Police believe he and the suspects didn’t know each other.
A 30-year-old-man was shot in the 1700 block of 20th Street West on Tuesday after being approached by a man and woman.
Another man, aged 23, was shot near the intersection of 20th and Avenue R. He told police he was approached by two men dressed in black clothing.
Last Friday, a 28-year-old woman was shot in the 600 block of Confederation Drive. She told police a man approached her in a parking lot, attempted to engage her in conversation and shot her after becoming upset
“I can tell you there’s a number of them where they didn’t know each other,” Obst said, when talking about the relationship between the shooting victims and the suspects.
“What's concerning in some of these incidents is that the people involved, people that have been victimized, are not involved in gangs.”
Obst said plainclothes detectives, uniformed officers, school resource officers and community liaison officers are making a strategy to calm the situation.
He suggests people be aware of their environment and walk with a buddy to minimize risk.
“I’m not suggesting people need to be scared but I think they need to know what’s going on out there. We’re always telling people, don’t do things that can make you a victim, or heighten your chances of being a victim."
