Disappearance of Edmonton teen Samuel Bird deemed suspicious

Police say the disappearance of Samuel Bird, a teenager last seen in west Edmonton, is suspicious.

The disappearance of Edmonton teen Samuel Bird has been deemed suspicious.

Bird, 14, was last seen walking in the Canora neighbourhood on June 1.

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“The Edmonton Police Service is deeply attuned to the national tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women and children, and our hearts go out to Samuel’s family,” Insp. Sean Anderson, with the EPS Major Crimes Branch said in a Friday news release.

“The detectives investigating this case have been tirelessly following every lead since Samuel was reported missing in June, and continue to do so. We never stop looking for missing people.”

The change in Bird’s case comes the same day the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations called for EPS to designate Bird’s case as a search and recovery.

In a statement, the Confederacy said this would enable Bird’s family and Nation to access more resources and personnel to increase search efforts.

According to a spokesperson for the confederacy, Grand Chief Greg Desjarlais and Bird’s family met with interim EPS Chief Warren Driechel and members of the major crimes team on Tuesday about the case.

Bird is known to frequent West Edmonton Mall and is familiar with both west and south Edmonton.

He is described as 5′8″ with a slim build, brown hair, and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Bird’s disappearance is asked to contact EPS at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.