Motive still unclear in highway shooting of German tourist

The RCMPsay they're still not sure why a German tourist was shot in the head west of Calgary and are asking the public for help in the investigation.

The 60-year-old victim, whose name has not been released, was driving east fromBanff National Park on Aug. 2 with his wife, son and son's girlfriend when he was shot near the Morley rodeo grounds, about 55 kilometres west of Calgary.

The vehicle veered off the highway and crashed into a tree.

Earlier reports said the tourists were travelling west at the time, but the RCMP said Thursday they were travelling east on Highway 1A.

Cpl. Curtis Peters said there was no indication of a conflict prior to the shooting.

He also said it's clear the shot, which came from the passenger side of the suspect vehicle,was fired intentionally.

"We believe that there was an intent to cause death or serious injury to the driver of a vehicle," he said on Thursday.

But it's not known whether the tourist was the intended target, he said.

An update this week provided byHubertusLiebrecht, the honorary German consul in Calgary, said the man shows signs of severe and life-changing injuries unable to talk or move the right side of his body.

Doctors were not able to remove the bullet, fearing it would cause further damage to his brain, according toLiebrecht.

• German tourist shot in head while driving family west of Calgary
• German tourist shot near Calgary shows signs of severe, life-changing injuries

Police detained a man in Cochrane, Alta., one day after the shooting. They also seized a black Chrysler Sebring from the residence.

The man was released without charges.

Cpl. Peters said that man has now been ruled out as a suspect.

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