TORONTO, Canada:
POLICE IN Toronto had no answers on Monday about how a young man could arrive in Canada from Jamaica, steal someone else's identity, become involved in a series of violent crimes and be killed himself -- with his own name remaining a mystery.
"We don't know who the dead man is," Staff Inspector Bob Clarke of the Toronto police homicide squad said. Nor could police explain why the man was released on an assault charge, nor why information identifying him as a double murderer could circulate widely as a rumour, but never get picked up by the homicide squad.
The mysterious and marked man left behind a rap sheet, a clear propensity for violence and an alias, 'Heavy D'.
The mysterious Heavy D's existence in Canada will likely raise questions about Canada's immigration policies, the justice system and policing. Staff Inspector Clarke described him as a Jamaican who stole a valid Canadian identity, after coming to the country less than a year ago. Police charged him, under the false name, with committing an assault with a weapon six months ago. He was let go for reasons that have not been released.
Last month, two brothers were shot outside a nightclub after they tried to flee a furious young man who pulled a semi-automatic handgun from his car and began firing. Kevin and Jermaine Ebanks managed to make it into their own car and drive away in a hail of gunfire, but they travelled only half a kilometre before they died, slouched over the dashboard.
Although police didn't know it until this past weekend, Heavy D was widely rumoured to be the Ebanks's killer. In fact, the double homicide made him a marked man within certain circles. Heavy D was killed in a Toronto parking lot last Saturday.
"They knew this young man was being hunted. They knew this young man was going to be killed. But they did absolutely nothing about it," Staff Insp. Clarke said.
The shootings generated a climate of fear among witnesses, he said. He challenged people who knew about the killers to come forward - before the cycle of violence claimed more lives. But, representatives of Toronto's black community asked Police Chief Julian Fantino last night to find new and safer alternatives for reporting violence to police, suggesting that might help people who are afraid to come forward.
"One should not feel intimidated," said MP Jean Augustine after the meeting.
Former Ontario Lieutenent-Governor Lincoln Alexander, who also attended last night's meeting, said the members of his community recognised the need for "full disclosure" and were prepared to assist the police in every way.
"The conspiracy of silence is very, very damaging as far as the police work is concerned," he said.
There's no doubt that for some, Toronto's streets have become more dangerous. Nine young men, all black, have been shot during the past four weekends, some apparently the victims of a tit-for-tat cycle of violent retribution. These shootings, and others like them, have also taken, or nearly taken, the lives of bystanders, Staff Insp. Clarke said.
The fight that left Heavy D dead started when he crouched behind a car and stood up to fire at three men who had just pulled into the parking lot, police said. The plaza was crowded; it was about 50 minutes after noon on Saturday. Heavy D's shot missed. At least one man shot back. Heavy D lay sprawled and wounded on the gravel of the parking lot, police say. Then "the gunman walked up to this man and pumped several more bullets directly into his head and body," Staff Insp. Clarke said.
The gunmen got in their car and drove away. Ten or 15 witnesses milled about the scene until police cars came. Then they too fled.
At least three shooters remain at large and all have demonstrated an "absolute, total disregard for life," Staff Insp. Clarke said. "Several cars had bullet holes including that of a vehicle containing a woman and her young children," he said. "Bullets were whizzing around their ears.
Taken from the Toronto Globe & Mail
