A grieving father demanded answers Thursday from the Edmonton Police Commission about the investigation into his son’s homicide.
Abdikadir Mohamed, 25, was shot outside a hookah bar at 111 Avenue and 93 Street early New Year’s Day. He died of his injuries Jan. 7.
Abdikadir Mohamed, 25, was shot outside a hookah bar north of downtown Edmonton on Jan. 1, 2016, and died days later of his injuries in hospital. Mohamed was the city’s first homicide victim of 2016.
Police ruled the shooting death a homicide. No one has been arrested.
Mohamed’s father, Mohamed Ahmed, attended the commission meeting on Thursday to express his frustration with how police are handling the case.
“I want to know who killed my son, justice and peace,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed told the commission he doesn’t believe police took information seriously that was provided by community members.
He said he believes his family’s case is not getting fair treatment from the police because the family is African-Canadian.
“They don’t want to talk to us,” Ahmed said, describing his experience dealing police”We are very disappointed. We are very sad.”
Ahmed said it has been difficult dealing with the loss of his son.
“He was a good boy, he was a great Canadian,” Ahmed said.
Following the commission meeting, deputy chief Brian Simpson said he understood Ahmed’s frustration, but said equal efforts are made to solve all Edmonton homicides, regardless of the victim. He also said any information provided to police about a homicide is taken seriously, but he said investigative steps have to been taken to ensure that information holds up in court.
“These investigations are tough. They require a lot of time,” Simpson said. “Knowing something is a long way from proving something.”
He said the rates of arrests and solved cases involving homicides with African Canadian victims are similar to the rates in cases overall.
“But numbers don’t count when you’re a family member and you don’t have resolution. I absolutely understand that,” Simpson said.
