Redd Alert News Today

The murder of Tristen Cook-Buckle in Edmonton, Alta., set off a chain of events that would lead to the brutal gang murder of Tiki Laverdiere weeks later in North Battleford, Sask.

To find out if safety concerns are part of what keeps some of the city’s homeless population away from the core, CBC News spoke with people camping in different parts of the city, as well as to outreach workers, police, a city councillor and a researcher.

The City of Edmonton said it closed the sixth of eight high-risk homeless encampments near 9908 - 106 Ave. Saturday.

Thousands of pounds of items and waste were hauled away from the high-risk encampment in the ravine at Dawson Park, below the east end of Jasper Avenue in Edmonton.

The police chief, as well as social agency officials, say those involved in organized crime are taking advantage of some of Edmonton's most vulnerable people.

'If you go after someone's family, I would suggest there's a high likelihood they're going to come after you and yours as well — and you're going to see this escalate potentially.'

A anti-gang organization in B.C. is extremely concerned the targeted killing of a Edmonton boy is a new escalation in gang violence in Western Canada.

Anti-gang police in B.C. say work being done to educate and prevent children from joining gangs is the most important work that can be done in combating the B.C. gang conflict.

According to experts, kids as young as 12 years old are being identified by gangs to be recruited – they target kids that appear to be misfits or those with rough home lives.

According to experts, kids as young as 12 years old are being identified by gangs to be recruited – they target kids that appear to be misfits or those with rough home lives.