Sharif Said fatal shooting leads to murder charge

Khalid Mohammad, 26, faces charge of second-degree murder

Media | 2 men charged in Sharif Said killing

Caption: Two men appeared in court, one for a second-degree murder charge, after the May 3 homicide.

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Two men briefly appeared in court today on charges related to the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Sharif Said.
Khalid Mohammad, 26, appeared in court on Thursday by video link on one charge of second-degree murder. The judge ordered him not to communicate with more than 20 people.
Another man, Abdulaziz Abdullah, was charged with accessory after the fact in connection with the Said's death. He also appeared in court briefly and was remanded into custody.

Image | Sharif Said

Caption: Sharif Said, 21, was found with multiple gunshot wounds Sunday morning and was later pronounced dead. (Provided photo)

Abdullah is expected back in court on May 11. Both men have previous criminal records.
Mohammad served two years in prison after he was found guilty of several charges, including sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon, in a 2007 home invasion.

'Killers are victims'

Inside the courtroom, Said's mother, younger brother and two uncles watched proceedings as the two men appeared.
One of Said's uncles, Abdul Hassan, told the media his nephew was not involved in gangs and was successful in school.
"The victim needs not to be victimized," Hassan said.
He also said whoever killed Said is also a victim of gang culture.
"We believe the killers are victims. They're victims of senseless violence. They need to realize life is precious," said Hassan.

Said's body found on Tremblay Road

Said, 21, was found by a passerby in the area of Tremblay and Belfast roads on Sunday around 6 a.m. Police were called and found he had multiple gunshot wounds. He later died in hospital.

Image | Abdul Hassan, uncle of homicide victim Sharif Said

Caption: Abdul Hassan, uncle of Ottawa homicide victim Sharif Said, said the "killers are victims" of gang culture and senseless violence. (CBC)

His shooting death is the third homicide of 2015 in Ottawa.
Police sources say they are investigating whether Said and the suspects were at a house party on Topley Crescent when a verbal fight got "physical."
Investigators believe the altercation led to an abrupt encounter on Tremblay Road that ended in Said's death.
Police have not found the murder weapon, police sources said.