Two 14-year-old girls were walking in southwest Edmonton on a Sunday evening when a van started following them.
At approximately 8 p.m. on June 14, 2026, the girls were near 18A Avenue SW and Rutherford Road SW in the Rutherford neighbourhood when a grey Chrysler Pacifica with heavily tinted windows began following them. Five to six men inside the van aged 30 to 40 started shouting at the girls and attempted to lure them into the vehicle. The side door of the van was open while the driver moved erratically around them.
The girls ran. A bystander who noticed what was happening called 911 immediately.
The suspect van was last seen travelling northbound on Rutherford Road and later near James Mowatt Trail and 17 Avenue. Police believe a second silver vehicle may also have been involved. Investigators have identified a person of interest from available footage and have released images publicly.
No arrests have been made.
This was not random or isolated
The detail that stands out in the EPS release is the second vehicle. Police believe a silver vehicle was also involved which suggests the men in the Chrysler Pacifica were not acting alone or spontaneously. A coordinated approach involving two vehicles, five to six men, and a moving van with an open door is deliberate.
The Rutherford neighbourhood where this happened is busy and residential near schools, parks, and South Edmonton Common. The fact that a bystander was present and recognized immediately that something was wrong is what made the difference. The girls ran toward safety. The bystander called 911 without hesitating.
The neighbourhood where this happened
Rutherford is a large family-oriented suburb in southwest Edmonton, south of Anthony Henday Drive. The intersection of 18A Avenue SW and Rutherford Road SW is not dark or isolated it is a residential area with houses on all sides, street lighting, and regular foot traffic on a Sunday evening. The bystander who called 911 while the incident was still unfolding confirms that. This was not a quiet location. Five to six men in a van did this in the open, at 8 p.m., in a neighbourhood where families walk after dinner without thinking twice about it.
Who saw this and who is now looking
Premier Danielle Smith shared the EPS release on social media on June 18, calling on the public to assist police in identifying the vehicle and suspects. The post drew significant attention across Alberta.
EPS released photos of the suspect grey Chrysler Pacifica, the second silver vehicle, and the person of interest. All images are available at edmontonpolice.ca/News/MediaReleases/ChildLuringJun182026.
What police need from the public
If you recognize the grey Chrysler Pacifica with heavily tinted windows, the second silver vehicle, or the person of interest in the EPS photos contact police now.
EPS: 780-423-4567 or dial #377 from a mobile phone.
Crime Stoppers anonymously: 1-800-222-8477 or p3tips.com/250.
How these investigations work after a public tip
When EPS releases suspect vehicle photos publicly, community tips are often what close the case. Investigators pull surveillance footage from businesses and traffic cameras along the route the vehicle was spotted northbound on Rutherford Road and later near James Mowatt Trail and 17 Avenue. A tip identifying the plate, the owner, or where the van is regularly parked can move an investigation from an open file to an arrest quickly.
Anyone who saw either vehicle in that area between 8 and 9 p.m. on June 14 is encouraged to contact EPS even if what they saw seemed unremarkable at the time.
What child luring means under Canadian law
Section 172.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada makes it a criminal offence to communicate with a person under 18 for the purpose of facilitating a sexual offence or abduction. Attempting to get two teenage girls into a vehicle through shouting and driving erratically with an open door falls within what police investigate under this section. Child luring carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in Canada.
What parents should know and talk about
This happened in a busy residential neighbourhood at 8 p.m. on a Sunday. A few practical conversations worth having with teenagers now: trust your instincts if a vehicle follows or circles do not engage, run. Run toward other people, not away into quiet areas. Call 911 immediately or get to someone who can. Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
Kids Help Phone is available around the clock at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting CONNECT to 686868.
Sources:
Edmonton Police Service news release, Police seek public's help after attempted child luring in southwest Edmonton, June 18, 2026 (edmontonpolice.ca)
Premier Danielle Smith, Twitter/X post, June 18, 2026 (@ABDanielleSmith)
