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Calgary police have released the identity of a man killed in a shooting in the Montgomery area of Calgary Thursday evening.

Police said Farah Hersi Handule, 23, was the victim of a targeted shooting.

Authorities said they received a call at around 9 p.m. that reported two groups of people shooting at each other in the area of 16 Avenue N.W. and Home Road.

Police said Handule was found lying on the road when first responders arrived at the scene. He was assessed by paramedics in the 4700 block of 16 Avenue N.W. and was declared dead at the scene, according to Calgary EMS.

Police said Handule was an Ontario resident who had been in Calgary since Tuesday.

“This is a targeted homicide carried out in a brazen way that leaves us very concerned for public safety,” Homicide Unit Staff Sgt. Colin Chisholm said. “This easily could have resulted in a tragic outcome for innocent citizens who were in the area.” Tweet This

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Business owner Jasvinder Kullar said he was not working at the time of the incident but was told the victim collapsed near his store.

“What I heard this morning from different customers [is] he was running down 16 Avenue and fell on 16 [Avenue] somewhere, and he happened to fall down in front of my store,” Kullar said.

Police said an autopsy on the victim was scheduled for Friday.

A spokesperson said paramedics did not transport any patients to hospital.

A large section of 16 Avenue was closed to traffic in both directions and access to Home Road was blocked off in either direction as the homicide unit investigated the fatal shooting. All roads were reopened ahead of the Friday morning commute.

Police are searching for another person believed to be involved in the shooting.

The incident left some local residents shaken.

“There could be little kids in the restaurant and a bullet comes flying through, and they don’t care for anyone’s life, I don’t think. It is scary,” Bowness resident Brent Marshall said. Tweet This

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“This is pretty scary, I must say, especially when you hear there were two groups that were firing at each other,” Montgomery resident Carol Sutherland said. “Tim Hortons is such a busy place, so innocent people could have been involved.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Calgary police at 403-266-1234 or the homicide tip line at 403-428-8877. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

“We are hoping that information from the public will lead us to determining who is responsible for this,” Chisholm said.