Killings in Edmonton Appear Racially Motivated

If any of our readers could shed some light on this incident, please contact us.

Edmonton shooting a racist: co-workers

Co-workers say the alleged gunman in a fatal shooting at an Edmonton car dealership on Friday was recently suspended for making racial comments.

Police say a man with a gun walked into Great West Chrysler near Stony Plain Road and 178th Street at about 7:50 a.m. MT and started shooting.

It's believed he shot and killed one man, shot and injured another man and then turned the gun on himself.

Sources have identified the shooter as Dave Burns, an employee who was recently suspended for making racial comments.

Co-workers say he didn't get along well with visible minorities, and some went as far as to describe him as a white supremacist.

They also tell CBC News that Burns had a swastika tattooed on his body and had a very hot temper.

Sources have identified the dealership's parts manager, Garth Radon, as the man pronounced dead at the scene. His wife was one of the first police officers on scene and it's believed she found his body.

A third employee is in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

A Facebook memorial page set up in honour of the victims had more than 200 members and dozens of posts by Saturday afternoon.

One person described Radon as "the sweetest guy ever" whose "smile lit up every one around him."

We know there are people associated with the Aryan Guard and W.E.B. in Edmonton, but we doubt any of them would be involved (the shooter was previously employed, which sort of rules out any of the AG or W.E.B.). We also know of a bonehead living in Edmonton (according to our most recent information) who murdered another bonehead in the United States during an argument, but we wouldn't want to make any accusations which might be unfounded.

UPDATE: The accused shooter is, as has been reported on numerous news sites, appears to be a man by the name of Dave Burns. Burns was suspended for two weeks for having posted sexually explicit pictures on a staff bulletin board. He appears to have been in his mid 50s. Some reports state that he had a Jekyll and Hyde personality and was quick to be offended, though it was also reported that he "had a good side" as well. He was active in the Alberta 4X4 scene, serving as president of the ECO Four Wheeling Society he co-founded (link takes you to an archived website):


Online, he appears to have posted under the username, "MastaFace":


Burns may have also been a member of a website newsvine.com. Given what Mr. Burns is accused of having done (and if this is the same MastaFace), this entry about his job is especially eerie:

I've been doing what I enjoy for 20 years now

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