A picture taken at the time of the shooting incident in December, 2019. (File photo/ rdnewsNOW)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Former Sask. resident on trial in Red Deer following Walmart shooting

Jun 5, 2022 | 1:00 PM

A young man who was once living and going to school in Prince Albert is now on trial for murder in Alberta.

Chase Freed, 20, was one of two people arrested after an incident in Dec., 2019 outside a Walmart in Red Deer.

According to information from police at the time, a 69-year-old man was shot about 60 metres away from the front entrance of the store. He later died in hospital.

The incident is alleged to be a robbery gone wrong, and the suspect then fled in a stolen black SUV driven by a woman. As the vehicle was driving away, police say a male passenger shot at two other persons in the parking lot but the bullets did not hit anyone.

The male continued to shoot randomly while departing the parking lot. Officers were able to bring the stolen vehicle to a stop with spike belts.

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Freed faces charges that include second-degree murder, attempted murder, and theft of a vehicle. Not guilty pleas were entered in April of 2021.

Three weeks have been set aside for the jury trial starting Monday.

Less than a year prior to the incident, Freed had moved to Red Deer from Prince Albert as part of release conditions from a previous charge.

Crystal Maurice, the woman driving the stolen SUV, received six months in jail for theft of a motor vehicle.

Maurice was also given a 12-month Conditional Sentence Order (CSO), and 12-month driving prohibition, followed by 12 months of probation after pleading guilty to failing to stop while being pursued by a police officer.

— with files from rdnewsNOW

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell