Ottawa police chief asks for calm, co-operation after 'unusual' day of shootings

After a day with four different shootings, one of them fatal, Ottawa's police chief is asking people with information who are reluctant to talk to police to trust them.

• Omar Rashid-Ghader identified as ByWard Market shooting victim
• Guns and gangs unit investigating 3 drive-by shootings on Sunday

Charles Bordeleau said Monday morning that a day with four shootings is "unusual" for Ottawa, calling them targeted shootings involving gang members and asking people who know something about them to not be afraid of retaliation for talking to police.

"There is a legitimate fear being expressed by either family members or acquaintances that may have information that if they bring that information to the police service there will be retaliation," Bordeleau said in a news conference.

"We understand that and appreciate that and we can do things to prevent that. We're asking those who do have information where there is that fear and trepidation to take that one important step forward."

Bordeleau said Ottawa is a safe city with a relatively very low violent crime rate, and police will work to keep it that way.

Those sentiments were echoed earlier in the day by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, who brought up money that's been spent to hire more officers and boost the city's anti-gang strategy, but added the community has a part to play.

"We continue to encourage people to join groups like Neighbourhood Watch, work with Crime Prevention Ottawa because we can't have a police officer on every corner… we need the community to call 911 if they see any suspicious activity," he said.

Police investigating shootings

The chief said officers are working to see if the three drive-by shootings on Sunday are linked to the first shooting inside Sentral nightclub on Dalhousie Street that killed 33-year-old Omar Rashid-Ghader around 3:20 a.m.

"Clearly our initial thoughts right now are trying to determine if there's a connection [between] the homicide and the other shootings, that's something we're very actively researching right now with our officers," said Ottawa police Supt. Don Sweet at the news conference.

Sweet said officers are searching for 28-year-old Mustafa Ahmed in connection with the fatal shooting, a gang member who's well-known to police and spends most of his time in the Ottawa area.

"He is considered armed and dangerous, people should not be approaching him," he said.

"I'm confident we'll have an arrest shortly. He can only hide for so long."

Plans to tackle violence

The news conference was held at Ottawa's Shaw Centre during the annual meeting of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

Bordeleau said many cities are dealing with an increase in gun crime and the conference is a chance for chiefs to work together to find solutions, along with talking to provincial and federal partners about stopping gun trafficking.

Sweet also mentioned a recent memo of understanding to share information between Ottawa police and the John Howard Society, which helps people get back into society after they've spent time in prison or jail.

"We'll work with [them] to try and identify some of these persons who are in conflict with crime through a gang affiliation, trying to get them into their programs to try and get them out of these types of situations," he said.

Watson and Rideau-Vanier councillor Mathieu Fleury said they had scheduled a meeting with ByWard Market businesses about recent break-ins for Monday night, but Sunday morning's shooting is now on the agenda.

"When I hear about incidents like that it raises a red flag and says are we doing the right things, do we have the right amount of police, are we doing enough for [the police's guns and gangs unit], is the business community involved?" Fleury said.

"In some respects it's problematic and in some respects it's reassuring to see it's gang members going after gang members… [but] we have to make sure the area continues to be safe"

Fleury said he's been pushing for the ByWard Market's summer foot patrol program that gets police officers walking the area and connecting with people to be expanded year-round.