Teen arrested after hip-hop artist shot to death in ByWard Market
CBC News | Posted: June 8, 2019 2:40 AM | Last Updated: June 9, 2019
Markland Campbell, 42, also known as Jahiant Jahh, was shot around 9:30 p.m. Friday
Ottawa police have arrested an 18-year-old man after a local hip-hop artist was shot and killed Friday night in the ByWard Market.
Markland Campbell, 42, also known as Jahiant Jahh, had been in the market with his 18-year-old daughter when he was shot, his group Half Size Giants wrote in a statement.
Campbell later died in surgery, they said.
"Although he won't be here in body to experience his much deserved success after a lifetime of sacrifice and struggle to reach this pinnacle, Jahiant will be smiling down on us all," the statement reads.
The Ottawa Police Service said Saturday night an 18-year-old had been arrested in connection with Campbell's death and that no other suspects are being sought.
The teen, whose name has not been released, is scheduled to appear in court Sunday morning.
A candlelight vigil for Campbell is planned for 6 p.m. Sunday at the corner of York Street and ByWard Market Square, where he collapsed.
Ottawa police responded to a call about shots fired in the market at 9:30 p.m. Friday.
"I heard the gun shot two times," said Adnan Ustun, who was sitting outside his ByWard Market Square pizzeria at the time.
Ustun said he saw a man running along the street toward York Street and a girl running behind him, screaming.
"I thought maybe they were joking," he said — but he then saw the man collapse outside a nearby bakery and realized he was bleeding.
People tried to help him before paramedics and police arrived, Ustun said.
The man was eventually taken to the Ottawa Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Insp. Patricia Ferguson said while the victim collapsed near York Street, police believe the shooting took place closer to George Street and ByWard Market Square.
"We have officers looking into locating the suspect and any other witnesses," she said.
While officers with the Ottawa Police Service's guns and gangs unit were on the scene Friday night, the major crime unit has now taken over the investigation.
ByWard Market Square was closed overnight while police investigated, and businesses were allowed to reopen Saturday morning.
Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury, whose ward includes the ByWard Market, said the timing of the shooting is concerning as it happened fairly early in the evening in a part of the city frequented by tourists.
"We take this very seriously," he said.
"Whatever happens in the market is a big indicator of what happens across the city. So we take those [sorts of incidents] very seriously."