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The deadly capturing of two males on a northwest Calgary road was over a minor drug debt, a prosecutor mentioned Monday.
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And after exhibiting Justice Nick Devlin safety footage that captured the ugly capturing, Crown Prosecutor Doug Taylor mentioned Gerald David Benn was the gunman caught firing a number of pictures right into a parked automobile.
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Benn, 25, is charged with two counts of first-degree homicide within the August 28, 2020, deaths of Mohammed Shaikh (19) and Abas Ibrahim (27). He additionally faces a 3rd cost of tried homicide with a firearm from Dimetri Marr in reference to the identical incident.
Taylor confirmed the Courtroom of King’s Bench justices movies from two closed-circuit TV cameras mounted on components of the Sandstone Village Mall, dealing with Sandarac Highway NW, earlier than launching into his opening deal with.
Taylor steadily interrupted the movies to elucidate what was taking place and informed the court docket it was the Crown’s idea Benn was the person captured by the cameras approaching a stopped crimson Nissan Altima pushed by Ibrahim.
The footage reveals a black Infinity G37 pulling up behind the Altima after it pulled off on Sandarac Highway close to the intersection with Sandaracrylan SW
An occupant of the Infinity approached the Altima and appeared to get into an altercation earlier than a second man approached.
“The one that ran from the black automobile to the crimson automobile with one thing (in his hand), the Crown alleges is Gerald David Benn,” Taylor mentioned.
“That factor in his hand was a .22 caliber firearm and he ran up and shot all three individuals within the Altima. In doing so, he killed Abas Ibrahim, the driving force of the Altima, he killed the entrance passenger, Mr. Shaikh, killed and he mr. Marr wounded.”
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Taylor mentioned a pathologist would give proof to elucidate the deadly wounds suffered by the 2 deceased, however each had been hit within the chest.
Marr suffered a single gunshot wound to his left aspect and survived.
“I anticipate he’ll say he nonetheless has a bullet in him,” Taylor mentioned.
After the capturing, each autos sped away.
“What you do not see in that video, you will notice by the use of images… because the crimson automobile pulls away, mr. Ibrahim solely stayed alive lengthy sufficient to get about 100 meters down the highway, depart the highway and crash right into a tree. .”
Taylor mentioned the video graphically reveals the deadly capturing.
“You’ll be able to clearly see the muzzle flashes, you’ll be able to rely 5 muzzle flashes,” he mentioned.
Taylor mentioned the motive for the deadly incident gave the impression to be a petty drug debt.
“It seems that all of this occurred over a couple of ($700) or a $900 transaction involving marijuana,” he mentioned.
The supervisor of Infinity, Dennis Ho Churn Wong pleaded responsible to 2 counts of manslaughter final month and was sentenced to 6 years in jail.
Benn’s trial is scheduled to final two weeks.
KMartin@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @KMartinCourts