Edmonton sees 34% increase in shootings during 2023: Police

Edmonton police have released the numbers for shootings in the city over the course of 2023, and the results might not come as a surprise to many.

EPS said in their annual data on shootings, that the city saw an overall increase of 34 per cent compared to 2022.

In December alone, there were 17 reported shooting incidents. Police say of those, 12 are believed to be targetted and 10 resulted in injuries.

However, December was one of the few months that saw a decrease in shootings compared to the previous year. Shootings were down by 19 per cent.

“The overall rise in shootings this past year was concerning, but we are working hard to trend these numbers down in 2024,” says Staff Sergeant Eric Stewart of the EPS Gangs and Guns Section of the Organized Crime Branch.

EPS says in 2023, there were 221 recorded shootings. In 2022, there were 165.

“This includes continuing to actively implement our Guns and Gangs Strategy, which recently added a new Gang Suppression Team and a new Firearms Investigation Unit Team. Together, we hope they’ll help us make significant strides in reducing gun violence citywide.”

EPS notes they were able to seize 892 guns over the year, with .22 caliber rifles and 9 mm handguns being the most common. In many instances, the gun was seized from someone who did not hold a valid Possession and Acquisition License (PAL).

Additional monthly stats

• April 2023, EPS says shootings increased by 45 per cent through January, February, and March.
• May 2023, EPS says 12 shootings occurred in April. Shootings increased by 11 per cent year over year.
• June 2023, EPS says there were 19 shootings in May. Shootings increased by 19 per cent year over year.
• September 2023, EPS says there were 22 shootings in August. Shootings increased by 36 per cent in August alone and 32 per cent year over year.
• October 2023, EPS says there were 28 shootings in September. By the end of Sept. there was 180 shootings in 2023, an increase of 55 per cent year over year. Police also noted in Sept. alone there was an increase of 133 per cent.
• November 2023, EPS says there were 13 shootings in October. October alone saw an increase of 46 per cent. By the end of Oct. there was 193 reported shootings.
• December 2023, EPS says there were 11 shootings in November. November alone saw a decrease of 1 per cent, however, there was a 42 per cent increase year over year. As of Nov. 30, there were 204 shootings in Edmonton.