A wedding reception in Ottawa turned tragic on Saturday night, as a shooting left two men from Toronto dead and six others injured. Ottawa police arrived on the scene at approximately 10:21 p.m., responding to reports of gunfire in the city’s southern area.
The victims had been attending an event at the Infinity Convention Centre, located on Gibford Drive near Ottawa International Airport. Police identified the deceased as 26-year-old Said Mohamed Ali and 29-year-old Abdishakur Abdi-Dahir, both hailing from Toronto. As of Sunday afternoon, no arrests had been made, and police did not have any descriptions of potential suspects.
“This violence is tragic. It’s unacceptable,” commented Acting Duty Insp. Amy Bond. “It’s disturbing for our entire community.”
Ottawa police are still in the early phases of their investigation. Insp. Bond noted that, at this time, there’s no evidence to suggest that the attack was hate-motivated or aimed at any specific community. “All investigative angles are being explored,” confirmed a police media release. “At this stage, there is no indication that this was a hate-motivated shooting.”
Ottawa paramedic spokesperson Marc-Antoine Deschamps stated that the injuries sustained by the six other victims were not life-threatening.
Anu Sohal, a representative of the Infinity Convention Centre, communicated the venue’s sorrow and cooperation in an email: “Saturday night’s shooting cannot be described as anything less than a tragedy,” Sohal wrote. “Our hearts break for the victims and their families. The members of the Infinity Convention Centre are actively assisting local authorities and their investigation. No other comments will be provided while the investigation is ongoing.”
Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Jessica Bradley and the Hunt Club Community Association also condemned the violent event. “This has no place in our community,” stated Bradley. “There is no tolerance for this kind of violence.”
The shooting represents the 11th and 12th homicides reported by Ottawa police this year. Authorities are urging anyone with information, especially those with cell phone, dash cam, or security video from the area between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., to contact their homicide unit at 613-236-1222 x 5493.
“If there is any information and evidence that you can provide, please bring it forward because that really does assist us,” urged Bond.
