The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) Homicide Unit is renewing its appeal to the public for assistance in locating a vehicle that is believed to be linked to the deaths of a father and son last November. The call for help comes as investigators intensify their search for a green Nissan X-Trail, model years 2005 to 2007, which may hold crucial evidence in the ongoing investigation.
The vehicle, which is described as having distinctive damage, including a horizontal dent along the rear bumper and a rust spot over the rear passenger tire, is believed to have been involved in the November 2023 shooting deaths of 41-year-old Harpreet Uppal and his 11-year-old son, Gavin. The incident occurred outside a business located in the Ellerslie area, and despite the passage of time, detectives remain hopeful that new information from the public could lead to a breakthrough.
The event unfolded on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, at approximately 12 p.m., when Southeast Branch patrol officers were dispatched to a shooting at a business near 50 Street and Ellerslie Road. Upon arrival, officers found Harpreet Uppal and his son in critical condition inside their white SUV. Despite the best efforts of EMS personnel, both father and son succumbed to their injuries at the scene.
A third occupant of the vehicle, another 11-year-old boy who was not related to the victims, managed to escape the vehicle unharmed. According to reports, the suspects arrived at the scene in a black BMW SUV, exited their vehicle, and fired multiple shots into the Uppals’ SUV before fleeing. Investigators have since determined that the shooting was targeted, with the younger Uppal intentionally murdered.
Image courtesy of Edmonton Police Service
Shortly after the shooting, police were alerted to a vehicle fire in the vicinity of 34 Street and Township Road 510, north of Beaumont. The burnt vehicle, a black BMW SUV, is believed to be the one used by the suspects. No bodies were found inside the vehicle, and no injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
Autopsies conducted on Nov. 13 and 14, 2023, confirmed that both Harpreet and Gavin Uppal died from gunshot wounds, with the manner of death ruled as homicide.
The green Nissan X-Trail has become a focal point in the investigation. EPS Homicide detectives believe the suspects were in the X-Trail shortly after the shooting, and despite the time that has passed, they are confident that the vehicle may still contain valuable evidence.
“We are hopeful that someone recognizes this vehicle or recalls seeing it recently, and we encourage them to come forward,” said Staff Sergeant Rob Bilawey with the EPS Homicide Section. “Even after this length of time, the vehicle could provide the evidence we need to make progress in this case.”
The EPS has released images of the suspect vehicle, highlighting its distinctive damage, in hopes that the public can aid in locating it. Anyone who spots the vehicle is urged not to approach it but to contact the police immediately.
The search for the green Nissan X-Trail is part of a broader effort by the EPS to bring those responsible for the deaths of Harpreet and Gavin Uppal to justice. On June 27, 2024, police re-released a photo of the black BMW suspect vehicle and a video clip of the suspects, seeking further information from the public.
The EPS Homicide Unit is urging anyone with information about the vehicle or the suspects to come forward, emphasizing that even the smallest detail could make a significant difference in the case.