Victims shot outside Ottawa wedding not intended targets: Cops
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The two men who died and six others injured in a shooting outside of a wedding reception in Ottawa’s Uplands area Saturday night were not the intended victims, Ottawa Police said in an update on the investigation.
However, the shooting was a targeted attack, police said. Investigators are focused on interviewing guests of the event at the Infinity Convention Centre on Gibford Dr. in Ottawa’s south end, near Uplands Drive and Hunt Club Road.
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Police said during the media briefing Wednesday that the shooter or shooters discharged about 50 rounds of ammunition into a crowd entering the wedding venue.
“We do not believe, however, that any of the victims of this brazen and careless attack were the intended targets,” said Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson on Wednesday.
“Further, there is no evidence that this was a hate-motivated crime.”
Two Toronto men were killed in the shooting. Mohamed Ali, 26, had arrived in Canada only four months ago to establish a new life, police told reporters Wednesday, and Abdishakur Abdi-Dahir, 29, had embarked on a career as an engineer.
“Their lives have been cut short, leaving family and friends to grieve and look for answers, said Ferguson.
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Five of the six other people injured have been released from hospital, with another remaining in hospital in stable condition.
Many other people could have been injured, said Ferguson.
The shooting began as guests were entering the Infinity Convention Centre. Guest attending another wedding were inside at the time and no one at that wedding was injured, police said.
“This was a chaotic scene, with multiple people injured and many attempting to flee the areas,” said Ferguson. “Officers and first responders flooded the area to aid victims and search for the shooter, but it was soon determined that the person or persons responsible had fled the scene.”
Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs said with recent increases in shootings, members of the public may wonder if they are safe.
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“We are working extremely hard with our full homicide team bolstered by additional investigators to ensure that we are able to bring those responsible for these crimes to court,” he said. “We are asking those that were at the wedding to help us advance this investigation. We need to hear from you.”
Chief Eric Stubbs has described the Saturday night shooting as a “mass shooting.” It was the largest shooting in Ottawa’s recent history.
“When you have the numbers that we have hurt and injured, we consider that a mass shooting,” Stubbs said.
Details on the shooting have been scarce since it occurred. Police were on the scene on Gibford Drive, near Hunt Club Road, just minutes after the first 911 call came in on Saturday. Police have yet to release any information about a possible suspect or suspects, or announce any arrests.
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