One man charged following police officer shooting

A man arrested following an incident Wednesday that resulted in a Calgary police officer being shot has been charged in connection to an earlier shooting, Calgary police say.

At approximately 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 30,police received reports of gunshots being exchanged between two vehicles onwestbound Glenmore Trail, near 37thStreet S.W.

Both vehicles fled the scene before police arrived. No injuries were reported.

Roughly 30 minutes later, police responded to a call that a man had been shot while parking his vehicle in the 100 block of Seton Passage S.E. Police said officers found a man at the scenesuffering from gunshot wounds.

"Investigators determined that these shootings were connected and worked to identify several potential suspects," Calgary police said in a statement Thursday.

"It is believed that both the offenders and victim are associated to rival organized crime groups in Calgary, and that the victim was targeted due to this conflict."

On Wednesday in the northeast community of Falconridge, while attempting to arrest two suspects connected to the September shootings, policesay gunfire was exchanged, resulting in one officer being shot and a suspect fatally wounded. Theofficer was transported to hospital in stable condition.

A second suspect was taken into custody, and upon his arrest, officers say they located a loaded handgun in his possession.Police sayofficers executed a search warrant on the suspect's vehicle on Thursday, which resulted in the seizure of two additional loaded handguns.

A 25-year-old Calgary man has been charged with one count each of attempted murder, discharge a firearm with intent, possession of stolen property over $5,000, unlawful possession of a firearm in a vehicle, unlawful possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition, possession of a weapon obtained by crime and possession of a restricted firearm contrary to a prohibition order. He will next appear in court on Oct. 27.

In a media availability on Wednesday evening, Calgary Police Service deputy acting Chief Cliff O'Brien said the officer has been released from hospital.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and police say no additional details can be released.