Pubdate: Mon, 20 Dec 2004
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2004 The Edmonton Journal
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Ryan Cormier

'DISORGANIZED CRIME' BLAMED FOR RECENT SPATE OF MURDERS

EDMONTON - As police investigate Edmonton's record-breaking 28th homicide 
of the year, a local criminologist is pointing to the fractured control of 
the drug trade as possible causes.

Keith Spencer, a University of Alberta criminologist, says of the 28 
homicides in Edmonton in 2004, at least 11 of them have had some sort of 
gang connection. Spencer said that's not surprising, given the fact that 
there is a lot of competition in the city's drug trade.

"As long as we have a lot of groups competing in the field, I think we're 
going to have a lot of falling out and settling of scores. If we had one 
strong group that was controlling the drug trade, we wouldn't have as much 
of the random violence as we do now.

"People love to throw this term organized crime around, and on one level I 
guess you could call it that. But really, what we have here at the moment 
is more disorganized crime."

The drug trade is currently split between various First Nation, Asian and 
biker gangs, Spencer said.

The latest murder victim was discovered Saturday afternoon when a cyclist 
discovered a body in a gazebo in Henrietta Louise Edwards Park, near the 
corner of 96A Street and 98A Avenue.

Police would not say how the 21-year-old victim was killed, but did say the 
slaying was gang-related. Investigators have identified the dead man as 
someone they've had previous dealings with, but have not yet released his name.

An autopsy is scheduled for today.

The Saturday discovery marked the second homicide in three days.

Souraphanh Beungxay, 21, was shot and killed early Thursday morning outside 
a west-end apartment building at 15216 100th Ave.

The police are releasing little information, but say Beungxay took a cab to 
the area where his body was found at about 6:15, arriving just minutes 
before his neighbours were awoken by the crack of gunshots.
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