German tourist unable to talk after highway shooting

The German tourist shot in the head while driving on Highway 1A near Morley is showing symptoms of “severe and life-changing injuries,” a spokesman for the family says.

Hubertus Liebrecht said in an update Monday that the shooting victim is “not able to talk or move his right side.”

The 60-year-old was shot while driving with his wife, his son and his son’s girlfriend on Aug. 2. RCMP have not announced any charges in the case.

The victim’s cousin, Roland Melzer, said the injured man is now in a hospital in Germany. Melzer has kept in touch with the family since the incident and said while everyone is “very worried,” the family is holding up well under the circumstances. “They’re strong,” he said. “There’s a long road ahead of them now.”

Melzer declined to identify his cousin for privacy reasons. The family was wrapping up an Alberta trip that included a visit with relatives in Vermillion and was heading to Banff when the shooting happened.

Liebrecht told supporters of a GoFundMe campaign launched following the shooting and that the man was flown home on a special aircraft to receive treatment at a hospital specializing in brain injuries.

“The doctors were not able to remove the bullet from his brain, as they would have to cause further damage,” said Liebrecht, who is the Honorary Consul of Germany for southern Alberta but started the fundraising campaign in a private capacity. The victim’s wife, who has also left Canada, expressed her “sincere gratitude” through Liebrecht for the support the family has received from Canadians.

The fundraising campaign has raised more than $13,000.