Police are looking to the public for help identifying a potentially “critical” witness to a fatal shooting Tuesday in a rural area east of Calgary as investigators head into Day 3 of a manhunt for two armed suspects.
Around noon on Tuesday, two men were shot at a rural intersection in Rocky View County, just east of Calgary at Range Road 282 and Township Road 250.
Colin Hough, a Rocky View County employee, was killed, his employer confirmed in a statement posted to its website.
“Colin was a valued member of our team, and we extend our deepest condolences to Colin’s family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time,” said Rocky View County chief administrative officer Byron Riemann.
Hough left behind a wife and two young sons.
A FortisAlberta worker sustained what police called a “superficial” injury. The company said in a statement that its employee was “performing routine work” at the time of the shooting.
Police have not released any kind of suspect description and said twice at news conferences on Tuesday and Wednesday that they “do not have enough information to provide the public with descriptors.”
On Thursday, RCMP issued an update to their investigation, asking for the public’s help identifying a “potential witness to the shooting.”
A dark grey Volkswagen Golf SportWagen was captured on dashcam video driving past the scene at 11:55 a.m., the same time as the shooting
“RCMP need to speak to the occupants of this car,” reads Thursday’s statement. “It could be critical in obtaining important information for this investigation.”
After the shooting on Tuesday, the two armed suspects fled the scene in a Rocky View County fleet truck. In a press conference later that day, police would not say whether the victims were shot in the course of a carjacking.
The truck was then dumped at Range Road 260 and Township Road 252, about 40 kilometres northeast of the shooting scene in neighbouring Wheatland County.
Around 1 p.m., RCMP issued a shelter-in-place alert, asking residents of Wheatland County to stay inside and lock their doors.
An Alberta Emergency Alert was enacted shortly after, expanding on the RCMP’s directive and declaring a civil emergency.
“There are 2 armed and extremely dangerous suspects in the area of Highway 564 and Range Road 252,” reads Tuesday’s alert.
The alert warned people to shelter in place and lock doors and windows. It warned people not to answer their doors or pick up hitchhikers.
Around 4:30 p.m., just over three hours after the alert was issued, RCMP lifted the shelter-in-place order, announcing the suspects were no longer believed to be in the area.
On Wednesday, police asked for information about a truck stolen from a home in the northeast community of Abbeydale in Calgary Monday morning.
Investigators believe the people who stole the truck are connected to the homicide investigation and want any infromation on the vehicle’s occupants and whereabouts leading up to the shooting.
The truck is described as a white 2013 Dodge Ram pickup truck with teal rims and shell-shaped lug nuts.
Timeline of events
Monday:
- 5:55 a.m. — White Dodge Ram stolen from northeast Calgary home. Police say it’s connected to the homicide.
Tuesday:
- 11:56 a.m. — Police called to Range Road 282 and Township Road 250 in Rocky View County for reports of a shooting. Police found Rocky View County employee Colin Hough dead and a FortisAlberta employee with a ‘superficial wound.’
- 1:08 p.m. — RCMP issue shelter-in-place alert for Wheatland County after the stolen Rocky View County fleet truck is found dumped at Range Road 260 and Township Road 252.
- 1:30 p.m. — Alberta Emergency Alert issued for Wheatland County. Alert warns of ‘two armed and extremely dangerous suspects.’
- 4:30 p.m. — RCMP lift shelter-in-place order, advising public that suspects are no longer believed to be in the area.
- 7:30 p.m. — RCMP hold media availability announcing homicide investigation.
Wednesday:
- 5 p.m. — RCMP hold media availability to update situation, identifying vehicle of interest, a white 2013 Ram pickup truck with teal aftermarket rims and shell-shaped lug nuts stolen Monday morning from a home in northeast Calgary.
Thursday:
- 1:30 p.m. — RCMP ask for public’s help identifying potential witness to the shooting.