[The Epoch Times, January 27, 2026](Reported by reporter Chen An) The police said that a group of Calgary teenagers committed crimes wantonly in multiple communities and used air guns and baseball bats to destroy houses and vehicles, causing some residents to face thousands of dollars in repair costs.
“About a week ago, when we went out at night, we noticed that the car window had been smashed by rocks,” said Rebecca St. John, who lives in the Beddington Heights community in northwest Calgary. “It wasn’t until the next day when we went out to check on the car that we noticed that the windows of our home had also been smashed and the exterior wall had also been hit with rocks.”
Police said homes and vehicles in communities including Coventry Hills and Sandstone Valley were also targeted in the crime, which took place between January 12 and 14.
In one of the incidents, a driver in Coventry Hills reported another vehicle pulled up next to his car and one person inside smashed the passenger side window with a baseball bat while another person pointed what appeared to be an airsoft gun at him before the vehicle fled the scene.
In another case, a couple was driving along Deerfoot Avenue when they heard two loud bangs and then the passenger side window shattered. Investigators later recovered a brass pellet.
In another case, police said two teenagers approached a vehicle parked outside a 7-Eleven convenience store, flashed what appeared to be firearms, then chased the victim’s vehicle and fired several shots as the vehicle drove through the area.
Fortunately no one was injured. Some houses also had their windows or facades damaged by stones or airsoft bullets.
Police identified several suspects based on victim and witness statements, as well as CCTV footage collected by investigators, and working with the school’s liaison officer, determined that the vandalism appeared to be related to an ongoing conflict at the school.
On January 15 (Thursday), two teenagers were detained by the police without incident.
A 17-year-old male was charged with three counts: armed assault, vandalism and possession of a weapon posing a danger to the public.
Another 17-year-old man was charged with one count each of vandalism and possession of a weapon posing a danger to the public.
A third man, 17, was identified by police and detained on Friday, January 16. He was charged with three counts: armed assault, vandalism and possession of a weapon posing a danger to the public.
All three teenagers are due to appear in court next month, but their names cannot be made public under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
As of Wednesday, January 21, Calgary police announced that two more youths had been detained and charged with offences, bringing the total number of youths in custody to five.
St. John said she and her neighbors are increasing safety precautions on their cars and homes.
Police also ask anyone with information about the incident to contact investigators at 403-266-1234.
You can also call 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or visitwww.calgarycrimestoppers.orgOr download the Crime Stoppers app (P3 Tips) from the App Store to anonymously submit tips to Crime Stoppers.
Editor in charge: Qi Shoushan
