EDMONTON — Two men have been charged after a deadly shooting at a community hall in south Edmonton last weekend.
On Monday, 37-year-old Christopher Wilson was charged with second-degree murder.
On Wednesday, 32-year-old Abdullahi Yalahow was charged with first-degree murder.
According to EPS, five of the six men who were injured in the Sunday incident have been released from hospital. Police said all six are expected to survive.
An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.
EDMONTON — The number of Albertans receiving care for COVID-19 in intensive care units reached a three-month high on Wednesday, according to the province’s Wednesday data update.
The latest numbers show 107 patients in ICU, up 87 since Aug. 1 and the highest since June 3.
Those 107 are included in 465 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the most since May 29.
More than 88 per cent of those in ICU are unvaccinated, as are close to 76 per cent of those in hospital.
Protect Our Province Alberta held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon to analyze the latest COVID-19 data, where Dr. Joe Vipond said ICU numbers are doubling every nine days. If the trend continues, Dr. Vipond said Alberta could see more than 420 people in the ICU in the next three weeks.
The eight deaths were in people ranging in age from in their 70s to over 80 years old and bring the province’s death toll to 2,383.
The province reported 1,315 new cases Wednesday, the most since May 13, pushing the active case count to 12,290, about where it was in the third week of May.
Among eligible Albertans, 78.1 per cent have received a first dose of vaccine and 69.9 per cent have had two doses.
The next data update is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski
EDMONTON – Alberta has recorded its first COVID-19 death in a person under 20 as the province deals with record-high patient counts in hospital and intensive care units.
The death of a person aged 10-19 years old from the Central Zone was one of 20 reported Wednesday, bringing the number of Alberta deaths due to COVID-19 up to 2,594.
Alberta Health’s COVID-19 page shows the age range of deaths is 18-107.
There are now 1,040 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including 230 in ICU: both pandemic-high numbers.
The province reported 1,336 new cases Wednesday with the active case count sitting at 20,304
Unvaccinated Albertans continue to make up the majority of new and active case as well as hospitalized patients and deaths.
Among eligible Albertans, 81.8 per cent have received a first dose of vaccine and 73.3 per cent have had two doses.
The next data update is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
EDMONTON — Marches were held in Edmonton and Calgary Tuesday as advocates try to educate people on how many drug overdoses happen daily in Alberta and how they can be prevented.
Four Albertans die every day from a drug overdose, according to Petra Schulz, with Moms Stop The Harm and Albertans for Ethical Drug Policy. In the first five months of 2021, 624 Albertans died due to an overdose, up 41 per cent from the same time period in 2020.
“This year of COVID, of people being isolated, of the drug supply getting toxic and at the same time having a government that takes away everything that helps has made things so much worse,” said Schulz.
The group Albertans for Ethical Drug Policy is calling on the province to reverse recent changes to harm reduction services.
In a statement from the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Mike Ellis, he said the government is “committed to a full recovery-oriented system of care that helps Albertans live a healthy life.”
“Alberta’s government is making a variety of addiction services available,” Ellis added. “From fully funded treatment spaces to opioid agonist therapy to overdose prevention services, help is here throughout a person’s addiction and into recovery.”
Naloxone kits, which can be used to temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid poisoning or overdose, can be obtained at more than 2,000 locations across Alberta, according to Ellis.
“It’s good to offer treatment and recovery, but first we have to keep people alive,” said Schulz.
“The drug supply is toxic, so if we give people who use substances… pharmaceutical alternatives, not only do you make sure they stay healthy and they don’t die, we would also make sure they get connected to health services.
“It’s people from all walks of life, doing different things… nobody is immune.”
Moms Stop The Harm, along with the Lethbridge Overdose Prevention Society, recently filed a lawsuit against the province over recent changes to supervised consumption sites.
In addition to the march, Moms Stop The Harm and Edmonton Healing Hearts Peer Bereavement Support Group hosted another event Tuesday evening.
“It’s really nice to be around people who understand, because often our death is often stigmatized differently than other deaths,” said Rebecca Rummery, with Moms Stop The Harm. “People always ask how your loved one died and as soon as you say drugs were involved, people’s reactions change.”
The event included naloxone training and a candlelight vigil overlooking the High Level Bridge, which was changed to purple, the color of International Overdose Awareness Day.
EDMONTON — The press secretary for the minister of culture cut off a CTV News Edmonton reporter’s questions when he asked about the absence of the premier and cabinet ministers.
Minister Ron Orr was at an event in Lacombe, promoting Alberta Culture Days, when CTV News Edmonton reporter Nav Sangha attempted to ask him about other members of caucus.
“It’s about Culture Days,” said Amanda LeBlanc, the minister’s press secretary. “We’re finished… we’re finished, thanks Nav.”
LeBlanc did eventually allow Sangha to ask his question, but stopped the minister before he could answer.
“Nav we’re good, thank you so much. We’re all set minster,” she said.
The culture minister replied with “OK.”