Calgary Police Service Hands Over Investigation to RCMP in Fatal Shooting Case

The Calgary Police Service (CPS) has announced that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will take charge of a comprehensive investigation into charges that were initially laid and subsequently suspended against two teenagers involved in a fatal shooting incident in Marlborough Park earlier this month.

Police Chief Mark Neufeld made this announcement during the Calgary Police Commission’s meeting on Wednesday evening, in response to a query. Neufeld expressed his disappointment over the situation, highlighting the fact that homicide investigators never cease their efforts, especially in grave circumstances like this.

“During their investigation, they uncovered new evidence which indicated that the detained individuals were not responsible for the crime,” Neufeld stated.

He acknowledged that such occurrences are rare and assured that the CPS will conduct an independent review to delve into all the circumstances that led to the charges against the two men. However, Neufeld clarified that the RCMP would spearhead this review, rather than the CPS itself.

Furthermore, he emphasized that the review would also address concerns regarding racial profiling.

The incident took place on November 13 at 2 p.m., when the police received a distress call about a shooting at a shopping center in Marlborough Park, located in the northeast community. Rami Hajj Ali, 23, was found dead with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle parked in the lot, while two others sustained serious injuries.

The authorities arrested and charged two individuals, aged 14 and 18, with murder in connection with the shooting.

However, on November 21, the charges against the two brothers, who were part of a program aimed at preventing newcomers from engaging in organized crime, were dropped.

Chief Neufeld expressed his pride in the investigators who brought the new evidence to light, leading to the development. He acknowledged that there would be a significant impact on the community due to these events.

“This is not a situation where two unrelated individuals were profiled while innocently walking down the street. Our investigators had substantial grounds to believe that the two young men were responsible,” Neufeld explained.

Following the suspension of the charges, the CPS issued an apology to the brothers, their families, and the affected community.

Authorities have revealed that the Marlborough Park shooting is one of several recent incidents in Calgary, and investigations are ongoing to identify the suspects involved.

“Since our last report to the commission, there have been multiple brazen shootings related to organized crime, which have garnered significant public attention,” revealed CPS Deputy Chief Ryan Ayliffe.

He added that a specialized unit dedicated to combating organized crime monitors 350 offenders associated with such activities and works towards confiscating illegal firearms used by these groups.

“Since the beginning of 2023, the police in Calgary have seized, recovered, or received the surrender of at least 1,628 firearms. Among them, close to 400 meet the definition of a ‘crime weapon’,” Ayliffe stated.

Chief Neufeld expressed his anticipation of new insights that may emerge from the independent review conducted by the RCMP.