deadmonton 2004 - robert charles simpson
Robert Charles Simpson, 34, was shot to death January 30th, 2004.
Case status is open and active.
Late in the evening of January 30th, 2004 gunshots erupted in the parking lot of the Saint Pete's strip club at 11125 156 Street. Two men died as a result of the attack and police at the time feared the start of a war between rival motorcycle gangs.
Robert Simpson died at the scene, while the man who was also shot, Joey Campbell aka Joey Morin, died in hospital the next day.
Police did not release any information on what calibre of weapon was used, how many shots were fired or how many times each man was shot.
Media reports quoted sources as saying there were multiple shots to almost every part of their bodies.
Morin was reported to be hit with as many as seven bullets, with one arm almost severed.
A criminologist speculated "Two guys, maximum four bullets, that's a professional hit and if the whole place was sprayed, then it was either done by really frightened amateurs or by another group trying to make a very serious point."
Witnesses reported seeing two vehicles speed away after the shooting.
Morin was a known member of the Bandidos motorcycle club.
At the time of the killings the Bandidos web site identified Joey Morin as a "probationary" member and Robert Simpson as a "hangaround."
David Simpson, younger brother of victim Robert Simpson, said Robert had no connections with gang activity. Robert worked in his father's motorcycle shop in Aldergrove, British Columbia.
Robert had no criminal history and had never been charged with any criminal act," said David who talked with his brother a few days before the shooting but didn't know why Robert was visiting Edmonton.
"Dealing with bikes, he does know some undesirable people, but he never bought into any of that."
"The RCMP have told my dad that it just seems that Robert was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
A leading criminologist speculated that Simpson was associated with the Bandidos gang and he was in Edmonton to set up shop, but city police and Simpson's family dispute the claim.
"Detectives are comfortable identifying one of the victims as connected with a motorcycle gang. The other victim [Simpson] we're still trying to put together a background profile for him. We don't have any suspects information for him, or a motive," a police spokesman said.
Sparky Simpson, Robert's father, said his son was not connected to biker gangs.