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Vol. 12, No. 23, Tuesday, April 4, 2017 www.LamontLeader.com
Murders at Chipman Gunfire heard by resident
MICHELLE PINON PHOTOS
Fort Saskatchewan RCMP members as well as investigators with RCMP K Division were on the scene of suspicious deaths at a Chipman residence at 47 Ave and 48 Street Monday morning around 9 am. Michelle Pinon Editor
Rose Frobel, who lives beside the home of where a double homicide took place late Sunday evening in Chipman, said she was in bed around 11 p.m. when she heard a “loud bang.” Within the span of 15 minutes, Frobel said she heard three more shots and another bang. When she opened the front door police were cordoning off the street. “I asked if everything was ok, and she (RCMP officer) said to lock her door and stay in the house. She also asked if someone had been killed, and the officer replied yes. Frobel said she had a difficult relationship with the neighbours, beginning when her and her husband hired the tenants’ son to do some yardwork, but things “turned sour” after some
damage was caused to their fence. Frobel said the tenant never took responsibility for the damages, and no repairs were done. She also spoke to the landlord, but no action was taken by them either. Frobel said things continued to erode and then she started to receive verbal threats. Those threats included physical harm and even to kill her. “I couldn’t walk our in the yard,” said Frobel, who feared for her life. “We were terrified. We are senior citizens and we feared for our safety.” Frobel said she felt they were watching their every move, and could strike out at any time, which was even more disconcerting since she had seen one of the tenants brandishing a shotgun after a neighbouring dog had come onto that property. Frobel documented all of the incidents as rec-
ommended, and had made formal complaints to the Fort Saskatchwan RCMP. She even met in person with three police officers after a drawing of a penis was found on their car window on November 1. While Frobel said police agreed the threats bordered on criminal harrassment, unless there was proof or someone was caught in the act, they could not lay charges. Frobel calls the shooting terrifying, senseless,
and heartbreaking for the victims and their families. She also believes there was a failure of the justice system as more could not be done by police to prevent this tragedy. “The justice system needs to change.” She also wondered if mental health was a factor, and if something could have been done in that regards to changes to the mental health act. Police have not confirmed victims or perpetrators’ names.
Chipman, Alberta – At 11:28 p.m. last night, (Sunday, April 2), Fort Saskatchewan RCMP were dispatched to a 911 report of suspicious deaths at a residence in Chipman, Alberta. Two adult males were located at the residence, deceased. One male suspect has been taken into police custody and the RCMP can confirm that they are treating this incident as a homicide. RCMP Major Crimes Unit have assumed carriage of this investigation with assistance of Fort Saskatchewan RCMP and the Forensic Identification Section. One adult male remains in police custody. The RCMP do not believe that this is a random event and do not feel that there is a further risk to public safety. An autopsy has been scheduled at the Edmonton Office of the Medical Examiner for today, Tuesday, April 4. This investigation is in its preliminary stages and more information will be made available when RCMP are able. According to an article in the Edmonton Journal, “Chipman resident Angie Thurston first heard gunshots just before midnight on Sunday. She initially thought it was a farmer shooting at a coyote. They do, after all, live in a rural farming community (about 60 km east of Edmonton) where the sounds of gunshots are not uncommon. But soon after the first shots shattered the silence, Thurston and her husband Tim Murphy, who were watching TV at the time, heard another round of gunfire. “I wasn’t too concerned because we’ve heard gun shots before and then I heard four to five gun shots go off at one time,” said Thurston Monday morning. “I thought, ‘that’s not a farmer, that’s not a coyote’.” Murphy went out into the backyard to investigate further when he heard someone screaming. He immediately called 911 and the dispatcher told him to get his family into the basement and to stay away from windows. Mounties were called to the home at 11:28 p.m. Sunday for a report of suspicious deaths. Murphy, Thurston and their two children — a three year old and a six month old — raced downstairs where they waited 45 minutes before returning upstairs. “I feel safe here. I don’t feel scared living here but after this, it’s scary,” she said. “You think a place is safe and quiet and apparently not.”