Calgary New Year's shooting: Police seek motive, suspect

Abdullahi Ahmed, 27, died yesterday after a shooting at a New Year's Eve party in Killarney

Media | Calgary party shooting details

Caption: Police release more information about a New Year's Eve shooting that left 1 person dead

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Calgary police are slowly uncovering details in the New Year's Eve party shooting that left one man dead and six others wounded.
Police were called to the 1900 block of 36 Street S.W. at about 5 a.m. on Thursday following reports shots had been fired at a house party with more than 50 people.
Police said Friday they believe the shooting began inside the house and moved outside as the offenders fled the scene.
Investigators said they believe the home was not randomly targeted but the motive, and whether any particular person was targeted, have not yet been determined.
One of the people struck was an innocent bystander who happened to be driving past the house at the time of the shooting, police said.
Insp. Ryan Ayliffe said police do not believe a suspicious death reported in Rosedale Friday morning is connected with the shooting at the party, but they are keeping an open mind as both investigations are still in the early stages.
“It is deeply concerning when our community is faced with violent incidents anytime, let alone within a 24-hour period," he said.

First homicide of 2015

CBC has learned Calgary's first homicide victim of the year had a history with the criminal justice system.
Abdullahi Ahmed, 27, died yesterday after a shooting at a New Year's Eve party in Killarney that also wounded six others.
According to court records, Ahmed had four previous convictions for drug possession and was convicted of assault in April 2013.

Image | Calgary New Year shooting victim Abdullahi Ahmed

Caption: Abdullahi Ahmed, 27, died after a shooting at a New Year's Eve party that also wounded six others. (Facebook)

Ahmed moved to Calgary from Toronto six years ago. His cousin Ahmed Mohamed said he came to Calgary to find a better life.
"He had a great smile. He had a good work ethic. He believed in helping others. I can't think of anybody who would want to harm him," Mohamed said. "He was a good kid. Things happen at these house parties. It could have been anybody else that new year's."

Mohamed said the family is grieving, but is trying to support each other through the tragedy.
"Because we’re a small community, it kind of makes it look like we are out of control, but we’re not actually out of control. We’re hard-working people who mind their own business," he said. "We have people like this in our community who do stuff like this and we are trying to hold them accountable and bring them to justice."
Police say they don't know the motive for the shooting and are appealing to the Somali community to contact police, their diversity resources member at 403-428-8161 or Crime Stoppers (external link)if they have information on the case.