Manitoba

2 men arrested, charged with 1st-degree murder in 2020 Winnipeg shooting

Mohammed Yonis Ali, 21, was shot near his home on Alfred Avenue in Winnipeg's North End on Aug. 26 last year. Arturo Andres Carrasco, 24, and Nootin Kasipigositmikise Fontaine, 25, have been arrested in connection with the shooting.

Mohammed Yonis Ali died after being shot on Aug. 26, 2020

Police released this image in May of two men wanted in connection with the August 2020 shooting death of Mohammed Yonis Ali. On Wednesday, Winnipeg police said they have arrested two men in connection with the summer 2020 shooting death of Mohammed Yonis Ali. (Submitted by Winnipeg police)

Two men are facing first-degree murder charges in the summer 2020 shooting death of Mohammed Yonis Ali, Winnipeg police said Wednesday.

Arturo Andres Carrasco, a 24-year-old Winnipeg man, and Nootin Kasipigositmikise Fontaine, a 25-year-old man from Victoria Beach, have been charged with first-degree murder and remain in custody, police said during a Wednesday morning news conference.

Ali, 21, was originally from Toronto. He was shot near his home on Alfred Avenue in Winnipeg's North End on Aug. 26 last year and found between Alfred and Aberdeen avenues, just before 9 p.m. that night. 

He was rushed to hospital but died two days later.

Carrasco was arrested on Aug. 25, while Fontaine was arrested on Sept. 2. 

In addition to the first-degree murder charge, Carrasco is also facing charges — including one charge of attempted murder — related to three 2019 shooting incidents in Winnipeg, police said.

The shootings, which happened between July and September 2019, left three people injured. 

Winnipeg police spokesperson Const. Rob Carver said he couldn't comment on a motive for Ali's killing but said incidents like these are almost always related to gang and/or drug activity. 

"The involvement of gang activity in a community often leads to this type of a scenario where you've got somebody targeted and killed." 

Carver said the investigation is ongoing and police may make additional arrests.