RCMP Major Crimes Unit investigating a shooting in Raymond

By Lethbridge Herald on February 10, 2026.

SOUTHERN ALBERTA NEWSPAPERS PHOTO BY KRISTINE JEAN RCMP Major Crimes Unit investigates a shooting in Raymond early Saturday morning.

By Kristine Jean

Southern Alberta Newspapers

ssnews@sunnysouthnews.com

The RCMP Major Crimes Unit is investigating a shooting in the Town of Raymond, early Saturday morning.   

In a press release Monday morning, Feb. 9, RCMP confirmed several details of the incident and said Raymond RCMP were dispatched to a report of shots fired in the Town of Raymond on Feb. 7, at 2:18 a.m. Raymond, Coaldale, Picture Butte and Cardston RCMP all responded, along with Lethbridge Police Dog Services.

As a result of the shooting, a 22-year-old man from Calgary has died. 

Lethbridge Police Service is also investigating the circumstances around a 26-year-old male resident of Calgary who attended the Chinook Regional Hospital with a gunshot injury in the early morning hours of Feb. 7. 

The shooting is believed to be a targeted and isolated incident.  

Residents in the small southern Alberta town, located about 30 minutes south of Lethbridge, were awoken in the early morning hours of Feb. 7, by what many thought were fireworks. 

“At about ten after two, I heard all sorts of bang, bang, bang, bang going on … we get a lot of fireworks around here and they do it at all sorts of weird times and I thought that might have been it,” said a long-time Raymond resident, who asked to remain anonymous.  

He noted this type of incident isn’t common in Raymond and spoke about his concerns regarding crime in the town with a population of less than 5,000, having moved there from Vancouver several years ago. 

“Things happen every once in a while but they’re small. They’re nothing like this,” he said. “I’ve been concerned about Raymond for a long time because we have thieves that break into gas stations and steal their ATM machines right next to the police station. That’s pretty brazen if you ask me,” he added. 

“This town wants to grow (and) I hate it because it’s going to turn into Vancouver as far as I’m concerned.” 

Few details about the incident were available Saturday, but RCMP were able to confirm additional resources were called in for the investigation.  

“RCMP is investigating a shooting which occurred in the Town of Raymond, at approximately 2 a.m. (Saturday),” said Gina Slaney, Media Relations Officer for Southern Alberta RCMP. “We have other resources, including our Major Crimes Unit that is heading to the town to assist with the investigation.” 

A couple out for a walk Saturday said they were awoken to what they thought were fireworks going off. 

“I woke up to thinking that there were fireworks because there’s a couple of people in town that do set off fireworks but I’m thinking this isn’t a special occasion so I wondered why,” said Lorelei Leishman, who has lived in Raymond for more than 40 years. “There’s some petty crime (here) but not anything violent ever.” 

Some residents also reported hearing a loud vehicle around the time of the incident.

Early Saturday morning RCMP sent out a press release advising town residents of a heavy police presence in Raymond, and noted they were investigating a shooting. They said there was no risk to the public at the time and asked that any witnesses to the event, or those who may have video surveillance, to contact them.

In an update a short while later, RCMP requested residents to stay away from a block of residences in a part of town and noted that “many officers will be in that area for some time processing the crime scene,” read the release.  

The investigation is ongoing with assistance from Calgary and Lethbridge FIS, Lethbridge PDS, KDIV RPAS, Divisional Criminal Analysis Unit and the Lethbridge Police Service.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident, they are asked to contact Raymond RCMP at 403-752-4747. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at http://www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.