EDMONTON — A former Edmonton cheerleading coach is accused of sexual assault and police believe there may be more victims.

Christopher McMurren, 33, was charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation after a woman told police in December 2020 her former cheerleading coach sexually assaulted her in 2013 and 2014, when she was 17 years old.

The Ontario man was arrested and charged in Edmonton. He’s scheduled to appear in court on July 7.

Cheer Canada suspended McMurren in July 2020, the Edmonton Police Service said.

EPS says McMurren was a cheerleading coach in Edmonton from 2011 until 2016 and believes there may be more victims.

“It is important to remember that abuse of a position of trust, authority, or power can invalidate what might otherwise appear to be consent,” EPS added.

Complainants are encouraged to call police at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

EDMONTON — Alberta reported 244 COVID-19 cases on Friday after more than 5,800 tests.

Active infections and hospitalizations are down to 5,415 and 379, respectively. There are 108 ICU patients.

The province has administered nearly three million vaccine doses to Albertans 12 and over: nearly 2.5 million first doses and more than 465,000 second doses.

Seven deaths were reported on Friday, including a man in his 20s in the North zone and a man in his 30s in the Central zone. More than 2,200 Albertans have died of COVID-19.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw will give another pandemic update early next week.

EDMONTON — A driver is seen ramming another commuter in a recorded road rage incident Alberta Mounties say has resulted in charges against two men.

In the video given to CTV News Edmonton and which was published online, an SUV driver is seen leaning out his window to punch the side-view mirror of a Ford truck while both are stopped at the traffic circle at Highways 60 and 39.

The truck is driven directly into the SUV as the SUV driver begins to leave, and pushes the SUV for several feet.

The truck driver follows the SUV for a short distance before both stop and the drivers leave their vehicles, while other witnesses pull up.

Leduc RCMP did not name the men involved but said a 45-year-old and 59-year-old were charged under the Traffic Safety Act after the June 3 encounter.

Police said both were headed west on Highway 39 before the confrontation.

Both are also scheduled to appear in Leduc provincial court to face charges of careless driving.

EDMONTON — The opioid crisis affecting Canadians nationwide has made itself especially evident in Alberta’s capital city.

Last month, three men were found dead in an Edmonton park from a drug overdose. That overdose was one that Jordan Reiniger, executive director of Boyle Street Community Services, told CTV News Edmonton not even naloxone kits could recover when paramedics arrived on the scene.

READ MORE: Boyle Street asks for ‘more outreach’ in opioid crisis after deaths of 3 men

It’s a crisis that’s only continuing to get worse.

Data from Alberta Health Services reports last May, EMS responded to 108 opioid-related emergencies in Edmonton – a number that doubled to 248 emergency calls last month.

On Thursday, AHS put out a public service announcement stating that EMS had responded to 55 opioid-related calls in the Edmonton area from May 31 to June 1.

Elliot Tanti, senior manager of communications and engagement at Boyle Street, says it’s not only hard street drugs like methamphetamines being laced with what they believe to be traces of fentanyl, but also street cannabis, which he describes as especially troublesome.

“That’s an escalation for us,” said Tanti. “We’ve always said street drugs are dangerous, but now to see it in practice is really quite jarring.”

The dramatic uptick in overdose-related emergencies has also put a strain on the city’s resources and first responders.

“Our staff are incredibly resilient folks. You have to be to work in the sector that we do. But I think that this is beginning to drag on them pretty significantly,” said Tanti.

He says his teams had responded to 10 overdoses around their building before noon this Wednesday.

It’s a reflection of an epidemic that’s been swelling in both size and severity. And a lack of reliable and assessable data towards the root of the cause has been one major issue.

Elaine Hyshka, public health assistant professor at the University of Alberta, says she would like to see the province increase access to supervised essential services and other harm reduction and prevention responses but so far, she’s only seen the obstacles in the way.

“People who use illegal drugs are not going to go to a clinic or healthcare service – in possession of illegal drugs – and give their personal health number. That’s unrealistic.”

A government spokesperson told CTV News that a new recently announced framework will support addicts and surrounding communities. They say that clients won’t be refused service even if they can’t provide a personal health number.

Tanti said last week’s overdose-related deaths have prompted some conversation with both the province and the city around getting more reactive data surrounding the crisis.

“Right now there’s such a significant lag with regard to information about overdoses and where they’re occurring and what’s happening, that it’s very difficult to allocate resources to hot spots or where things could be dangerous,” Tanti explains.

“We need better access to data and we need more outreach support right now,” said Tanti. “At the end of the day, this is unprecedented.”

With files from Carlyle Fiset.

EDMONTON — Premier Jason Kenney, three ministers, and four other people dining on a rooftop patio continue to draw large amounts of criticism over the alleged flouting of the province’s gathering rules.

The group of United Conservative Party (UCP) members were spotted Tuesday evening on the balcony of the Sky Palace of the Federal Building on the Alberta Legislature grounds in Edmonton.

READ MORE: Concerns raised after photos of Alta. premier, ministers dining on Sky Palace rooftop emerge 

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, was asked during her media availability Thursday about what she thought of the photo.

“I have the seen the photos,” she said. “I think there’s always sometimes, there’s always a bit of confusion about which rules apply in which settings.”

The top doctor clarified that the outdoor social gathering rules allow 10 people to be present at an outdoor social gathering. Masks are not required at those gathering as long as individuals present are at least two metres apart.

She added that food is allowed at outdoor social gatherings, although it should not be shared between people.

“I can’t comment on whether or not those two metres were continually followed (at the gathering),” Hinshaw said in response to questions about the gathering on the patio at the Sky Palace.

“Again, that’s not something that, that I can definitively say,” the top doctor added since she “wasn’t there.”

In a response to a similar question, Hinshaw said that it is difficult to say for certain if social distancing of two metres was maintained due to perspective.

“It’s critical for all of us to follow the requirements and public health measures in place,” she added.

When asked about role models and the need for public figures to set an example for Albertans, Hinshaw said people make mistakes sometimes.

“All of us have a role to play. And it’s critical that in this time period where we’re seeing our colleagues, our fellow Albertans get protection at a higher rate every single day that we hold to those measures so that we can lower the infection rate while we increase the protection.”

‘COMPLETE LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND MORAL JUDGEMENT’

In a statement released after Hinshaw’s media availability, the official opposition said that her remarks “refused to clear” Kenney and members of his cabinet of any wrongdoing related to the gathering atop of the Sky Palace.

“There’s no denying that Jason Kenney and his ministers didn’t maintain physical distancing as they partied high up in the Sky Palace,” NDP deputy leader Sarah Hoffman said.

“It shows a complete lack of leadership and moral judgment. As Alberta families and small businesses continue to struggle and make sacrifices, Jason Kenney and the UCP are openly defying public health orders.” 

OPPOSITION GRILL KENNEY ABOUT SKY PALACE DINNER

During question period in the legislature, Hoffman shared remarks Kenney gave back in January after nine MLAs and senior staff travelled internationally despite public health orders directing people not to travel abroad during the pandemic.

“We will have to continue to show Albertans that we’ve learned the lesson that we have heard them and that we have to rebuild a culture of discipline and humility,” Hoffman quoted.

“When most Albertans think about discipline and humility, they don’t think about white table cloths, a 40 of Jameson, litres upon litres of wine, and San Pellegrino on the roof of the Sky Palace,” she added. “Will the premier show humility today, admit that he broke the public health orders, and apologize?”

“I did no such thing,” Kenney responded.

“On Tuesday, we moved forward with Stage 1 of Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan,” he said said. “We had a business dinner which we moved outside with six people that was fully rule compliant.”

Stage 1 expanded rules surrounding social outdoor gatherings so 10 people are permitted to gather and that physical social distancing must be maintained. Indoor social gatherings are still prohibited. Outdoor dining at restaurant patios is limited to a maximum of four members of a single household or three people if diners live alone. Tuesday’s gathering at the Sky Palace included a server.

“What the NDP should be doing is joining us in encouraging people to move things outside within the numerical numbers,” Kenney added. “Let’s embrace Alberta’s summer.

When faced with further questions about the dinner atop of the Sky Palace, Kenney said what was “really happening” was that the NDP were admitting they don’t want Alberta to move ahead in its reopening strategy.

“We don’t just permit,” Kenney said, “we actively encourage Albertans to move to outdoor social gatherings as long as it’s fewer than 10 people.”

The premier assured the opposition that Jameson is not an expensive booze.

“It’s a nice Irish whiskey but it’s not the finest,” Kenney said. “It’s a budget liquor.”

He added all the meals were takeout from local restaurants and that they were purchased by each of the people attending the dinner with personal funds.