Band members in Hobbema vow they won’t be intimidated by what police describe as the latest gang-related death, just days after the community announced it would create a gun amnesty to try to get weapons off the streets.

Early Sunday, police found a 16-year-old boy shot to death behind a home at the Samson First Cree Nation town site, 100 kilometres south of Edmonton.

A short time later and two blocks away, a man was injured when shots were fired between two homes.

Last Tuesday, a four-month gun amnesty was announced, allowing Hobbema residents to hand over their illegal or unwanted firearms and ammunition to the RCMP from Aug. 1 to Nov. 30 without facing charges for possessing unregistered and unlicensed weapons.

Chief Marvin Yellowbird said this outburst of gun violence is a setback after all the work that band members have been doing since two-year-old Asia Saddleback was struck by a stray bullet as she ate dinner in her grandfather’s home in April.

“Enacting the curfew laws, for example, and tearing down the crack houses and cleaning up the community. I don’t think this will deter the community,” Yellowbird said.

“We will continue to do whatever we can to work collectively with the RCMP and with the community to make sure we are dealing with safety issues.”

Curfew sets in after shooting

After the toddler’s shooting, the community instituted a 10 p.m. curfew for teenagers, and began tearing down burned out abandoned houses that have become havens for drug dealers.

Elder Roy Louis said these measures are slowly having an effect, but with 13 gangs operating in Hobbema, it will take time to see results.

“The gangs have been ingrained in our community for some time now, so it’s not going to change overnight,” Louis said.

“The naysayers are going to say, ‘See, we told you so. It’s not going to work; it’s something negative again.’ But I am firmly convinced we can do that right thing. ”

The gangs are fighting to control the drug trade in Hobbema, an area made up of four reserves and 12,000 band members.

Melissa Okeymow isn’t sure the gun amnesty will make her community any safer.

She was awakened early Sunday morning by the sounds of police cruisers and officers outside her home where she lives with her seven children.

“I looked out the kitchen window, and I saw his body lying there. It was frightening to me,” Okeymow said Monday.

She said she had seen the teenager in the neighbourhood before, but did not know him.

“I am shocked, I am scared. I am frightened. There are so many emotions going on right now. I am just a single mother living here by myself with my children. This hits too close to home.

“I am going to try my best to get out of here. Even if I have to do it on my own, I am going to try to leave.”

Police have not yet laid charges or released the name of the victim.

They believe the death is gang related.