Father and 11-Year-Old Son Targeted and Killed in Edmonton Shooting

New details have emerged regarding a tragic targeted shooting incident that claimed the lives of a man and his 11-year-old son in Edmonton on Thursday.

The man, identified as Harpreet Uppal, 41, had significant connections to gangs and the drug world, according to the Edmonton Police Service. Investigators state that Uppal was well-known to law enforcement.

At the time of the shooting, Uppal was accompanied by his son and another boy in the parking lot of a shopping center located off Ellerslie Road at 50th Street.

For more information, visit: 11-year-old and his father killed in ‘targeted’ shooting in Edmonton

Acting Superintendent Colin Derksen of the EPS Criminal Investigation Division explained that the identities of the deceased are typically withheld until the nature of their deaths is confirmed as homicides or otherwise. However, in this particular case, Uppal’s previous involvement in a shooting incident in October 2021 at a Royal Pizza restaurant prompted authorities to release his name.

Related:

The earlier incident involved a suspect approaching the restaurant and firing shots through a window, causing Uppal and his family to take cover. Following the incident, several arrest warrants were issued, and a 26-year-old man subsequently turned himself in. However, charges against him have since been dropped, and it remains unclear whether he is a person of interest in Thursday’s shooting.

Derksen emphasized that while Uppal was clearly targeted, the motive behind the killing of his 11-year-old son remains unknown. He stated, “We don’t know yet, and I hope we know for sure that he wasn’t followed with the intent to kill him. What we know is that once the shooter or shooters saw that the boy was there, they killed him. He was not caught in the crossfire or killed by mistake.”

Authorities have refrained from releasing the name of Uppal’s son at this time.

Derksen further commented on the evolving nature of organized crime, expressing his disgust at cases like Thursday’s shooting, which he described as “sick and twisted.”

Another boy present during the shooting unharmed, police confirm

The Edmonton Police Service confirmed that, in addition to Uppal and his son, another boy was present at the scene of the shooting. Fortunately, the boy, who is believed to be around the same age as the deceased 11-year-old, was inside a vehicle during the incident and did not sustain any physical injuries.