Calgary police release photos of Eritrean clash suspects
Posted Sep 21, 2023 1:05 pm.
Last Updated Sep 21, 2023 1:10 pm.
Calgary police released photos of 16 persons of interest in a violent clash in the city’s northeast earlier this month, asking the public to help identify them.
On Saturday, Sept. 2, the community of Falconridge was engulfed in a violent outbreak when two Eritrean groups faced off against each other.
Around 5 p.m., officers responded to reports of an incident at McKnight Boulevard and Falconridge Crescent, which initially involved up to 150 individuals, many of whom had weapons.
Police emphasized at the time it was not a protest but a violent clash between the two groups.
Watch: Eritrean clash ‘largest violent event’ in Calgary’s recent history
Dedicated resources were mobilized to maintain order and protect the community, according to police, who said the safety of the public was the top priority.
In a press conference days after the event, Calgary Police Service (CPS) chief Mark Neufeld said the incident was “bananas,” calling it “the largest violent event to happen in our city in recent memory.”
Read more: ‘It’s not okay in our city’: Calgary police set up task force following violent clash in NE
The police chief said 12 people were sent to hospital and were discharged with no life-altering injuries.
In August, clashes at an Eritrean festival at an Edmonton park sent one person to the hospital and triggered the deployment of the police force’s riot squad.
The Thursday update asks anyone with information on the individuals and their involvement in the incident to contact Calgary police at ITF@calgarypolice.ca
-With files from Alejandro Melgar
