A “higher-level figure” in Edmonton’s organised crime scene Harpreet Uppal and his 11-year-old son Gavin Uppal were shot and killed in what police have called a “sick and twisted” escalation of gang violence in the city of Edmonton.
According to police, Uppal and his son were shot outside of a business in the area of 50 Street and Ellerslie Road. Police located the father and son in distress after reports of shooting however both the man and child succumbed to their injuries on scene. “In both cases, the cause of death was gunshot wounds, and the manner of death was homicide,” Edmonton police said.
The police informed that there was another 11-year-old boy not related to Uppal or his son, who fled the vehicle immediately after the shooting and was not physically injured.
The police later released video and images of the suspects and their vehicle in hopes of generating additional information related to the shooting.
It was reported to police that the suspects arrived in a black BMW SUV. The two then exited their vehicle, ran towards Uppal’s white SUV, fired a weapon and fled the scene.
A short time later, police were notified of a vehicle fire in the area of 34 Street and Township Road 510 (north of Beaumont). At this time, police continue to investigate if the suspect vehicle and burned vehicle, a 2012 black BMW X6, are the same. No one was located inside the vehicle and no injuries have been reported as a result of the fire.
“We are hopeful that releasing this photo and video clip will help someone recall seeing the vehicle and/or suspects before or after the shooting,” said Staff Sergeant Rob Bilawey with the EPS Homicide Section. “Sometimes a seemingly insignificant detail can be immensely helpful to our investigation, and we encourage anyone with information they believe may be related to this shooting to call us.”
According to reports, Uppal was also targeted two years ago when a man shot at him several times through a window while he was having dinner with his family in a south Edmonton restaurant in October 2021.
“Mr. Uppal was very well known to us, very high up in the gang drug world,” said Edmonton Police Acting superintendent Colin Derksen. “We had worked very hard over the years to try to warn and give him opportunities to step out of that lifestyle, and keep him and his family safe.”