Edmonton police hunt 2 gunmen in fatal shooting

The police tried hard to keep a lid on the city's latest homicide.

Staff Sgt. Bill Clark said investigators wanted to work the case before they let the media or the public know.

"We did keep this quiet from the media on purpose," he said. "We didn't want to jeopardize our investigation. I would have liked to keep it quiet for another 24 hours ... had the neighbours not called."

Those neighbours called police at about 5:30 a.m. Sunday to report gunshots. Police arrived at a home near 49th Avenue and 111A Street to find a 27-year-old woman shot to death in a basement suite.

They're now looking for two men who drove off in a small, two-door, black car.

Clark said the city's 12th homicide was drug-related.

"A lot of these home invasions we're seeing happening around the city are all involving the drug trade. It's one drug group ripping off another drug group. Lots of violence lately."

Some of the people involved, including the latest victim, were "low- to mid-level dealers," he said.

Clark sparred with reporters on Monday on the street outside the crime scene.

When news outlets called police the day before about a large, white forensics van sitting outside the home, reporters were told police were there investigating a gun complaint.

"We knew early on it was a homicide," Clark said. "Yeah, it's misleading. We had to move this investigation forward. The investigation has to come first.

"If the media is left out in the dark for 24 hours, so be it. I really don't feel bad about it. I think the citizens want us to solve these crimes."

One of the shooters in the latest homicide is described as a six-foot-two, olive-skinned man in his 20s, who weighed 250 lbs and long black hair. He was last seen wearing a white-and-blue T-shirt.

The second suspect is described as a six-foot-two, olive-skinned man in his 20s, with a slim build with black hair. He was last seen wearing a black shirt and blue jeans.

Both suspects are believed to be armed and dangerous.