Edmonton robbery leaves two dead

Robs spa shop, booze store before taking his own life

By RICHARD LIEBRECHT, SUN MEDIA

The Edmonton Sun


EDMONTON -- A spa-owning family is grieving after a man was shot and killed while confronting an armed robber in Mill Woods yesterday morning.

The assailant later shot himself after he held up a nearby liquor store.

"I don't know what to do," said a shaking Amanda Gill, who has worked at Bella Tonic Spa and Laser Hair Removal at 133 Millbourne Road East for about five years.

Owner Nina Bains was hysterical, pacing and wailing on the sidewalk near the store as police scoured the scene. The victim has been identified as her husband, Duane.

An armed man walked into the spa just before 10:15 a.m., said cop spokesman Jeff Wuite.

Duane confronted the armed culprit who then opened fire and fled.

The victim was later found slumped over and bleeding inside the spa, where paramedics pronounced him dead.

Within 10 minutes of the fatal shooting, another call came about an armed robbery at a liquor store about 600 metres away - with a description matching the suspect in the spa shooting.

MILLBOURNE MALL

Police raced to the scene and were in the parking lot of Millbourne Liquor at Millbourne Market Mall near 38 Avenue and Millwoods Road when the culprit tried leaving, said Wuite.

"He noticed the police presence and turned the gun on himself," said Wuite.

"In such a serious incident where two men lost their lives, there's going to be a very thorough investigation," he added.

Kapil Sharma, an accountant at the office next door to the spa, said he feels badly knowing Duane is dead.

"We met every day," he said.

Sharma described Duane as a cool and calm man - an unlikely target for a violent criminal. The two greeted each other with waves and handshakes nearly every morning when they'd arrive at their businesses, said Sharma.

"He's a good guy. I don't know how come someone could kill him without any reason," he said. "If (the thief) wants to kill himself, why would he do that?"

EMPLOYEES RELATIVES

There were only seven employees at the spa, two of them male. Most of the employees were relatives, Gill added.

"I used to go to (Bains's) daycare when I was younger," said Gill. "(They are) just very, very nice people, giving - it's shocking."

Nina Bains declined comment, barely able to speak between sobs.

Two nearby schools - St. Elizabeth Elementary at 7712 36 Ave., and St. Hilda Junior High at 7630 38 Ave. - were locked down for about half an hour following the incidents.


Source

The is a robbery happened in the spa which two person are killed by the robber.