The Crown Drops Charges in Fatal Exchange District Shooting Case

The Crown has decided to stay charges against a man who was accused in a fatal shooting that took place in the Exchange District of Winnipeg in 2022. Tristan James Raynard Asham, aged 21, was tragically shot on McDermot Avenue near Albert Street in the early hours of November 5, 2022.

According to the Winnipeg police, the shooting occurred following a confrontation between two groups. Shiv Austin Harper, a 20-year-old who was identified as the alleged shooter by Winnipeg homicide detectives, had fled the province and was eventually arrested in Langley, B.C. in June 2023. Harper was initially charged with second-degree murder and a firearms offence.

However, a spokesperson for the provincial Crown attorney’s office has stated that after a thorough review of the evidence, prosecutors determined that there was not enough evidence to secure a conviction. The decision to stay the charges was made as the Crown did not have a reasonable likelihood of conviction.

Court records indicate that the stays were officially entered on an administrative docket on February 7. This means that the specific details of the evidence held by the Crown were not disclosed on the public record.

The death of Asham marked a somber milestone with 45 people being slain in Winnipeg that year, making it the highest number of killings in a single year in the city’s history at that time. By the end of the year, the number of homicides had tragically risen to 53.

Erik Pindera
Reporter

Erik Pindera covers stories for the city desk, with a specific focus on crime and justice.

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