In a tragic development, an 11-year-old boy and his father, Harpreet Uppal, 41, were shot and killed in what the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is describing as a significant escalation in gang-related violence. The shooting took place on Thursday around noon at a busy shopping plaza in southeast Edmonton, inside the victims’ vehicle.
Acting Supt. Colin Derksen of the EPS addressed a news conference on Friday morning, explaining the gravity of the situation. “Uppal was targeted with the intention of ending his life. Sadly, the son was also intentionally killed once the shooter or shooters realized his presence,” Derksen stated. He emphasized that the child’s death was not a collateral damage or an accident. A second child, a friend of the deceased boy, was also in the vehicle during the incident but managed to escape unharmed.
The shooting occurred outside a Petro-Canada and A&W near 50th Street and Ellerslie Road, a bustling area with retail establishments and residential neighborhoods. When police arrived, Uppal and his son were critically injured and subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.
Derksen highlighted a worrying increase in violent incidents in Edmonton, with many linked to organized crime and gang activity. The city has seen a 46% increase in shootings compared to last year, with innocent bystanders increasingly caught in the crossfire.
Uppal, well-known to the police as a significant figure in Edmonton’s gang and drug scene, had a history of criminal charges, including cocaine possession and trafficking. He was awaiting trial in April 2024. In 2021, Uppal survived a shooting at a Royal Pizza restaurant while dining with his family, including a nine-year-old child.
The EPS had previously attempted to assist Uppal in leaving the gang lifestyle to ensure his family’s safety. Derksen expressed deep concern over the shooting, particularly the intentional killing of Uppal’s son, indicating a disturbing new threshold in gang conflicts.
Police also noted that a vehicle fire in the area of 34th Street and Township Road 510 might be connected to the shooting. The suspect vehicle, a black 2012 BMW X6, was reported stolen.
Derksen affirmed the EPS’s commitment to the investigation, emphasizing the impact of the child’s loss: “We’re pulling out all the stops. We lost a child here.”
