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Homicide
victim fled violence of Somalia
(Calgary, Canada. January,
06 2009 Ceegaag Online)
Mohamed Mussa Elmi and
his son Mustafa Mohamed Mussa came to Canada with their
family in 1991 to escape Somalia's civil war. Mustafa was
killed in a fight early on New Year's Day
'My Son Is Dead,' Says Grieving
Dad
M ustafa
Mohamed Mussa's family will bury him today in the country
where they sought a future free of violence and death.
Mussa,
24, was Calgary's first homicide victim of 2009, dying
during a fight outside a northeast bar while celebrating New
Year's and a friend's birthday.
Police
have charged two brothers with second-degree murder in
connection with the altercation at Coyote's Bar and Grill,
and are still seeking a third suspect.
"My
son is dead and there's nothing much I can do, but I'm
hopeful the (courts),which have the power to do
something about it, will restore justice to my family,"
Mussa's father, Mohamed Mussa Elmi, said through a
friend who provided translation.
Mussa
was born in Somalia, but his family fled their home in the
northern city of Borame as civil war wracked the country in
1991. They settled in Ottawa, where Mussa grew up.
"He was
someone who liked to play sports and liked school," said his
brother, Ali.
Ali, a
second-year student at the University of Ottawa, said his
older brother wanted to continue school himself but needed
to work to raise money for tuition.
"He had
to come here (to Alberta) to work because school's
expensive," he said.
Mussa's
father said his son moved to Brooks in 2006 and had been
working at Lakeside Packers and restaurant jobs.
Elmi was
visiting his son in Brooks last week and said Mussa went to
Calgary on New Year's Eve to be with friends.After spending
some time at a friend's house, the group headed for
Coyote's.
"There
was a disagreement that occurred inside the pub. Later in
the evening, it moved outside and became more deadly,
unfortunately," said homicide Det. Patty McCallum. "We have
a pretty good indication of the motive, but at this point,
we're holding back that information."
During
the altercation, Mussa, a staff member from the bar and a
third man were injured.
None of
the three men knew each other, said McCallum, adding Mussa
may have been fatally wounded trying to break up a fight.
Although
Elmi isn't entirely sure what transpired the night his son
died, he said Mussa was typically level-headed.
"He was
a very calm guy who never hurt anyone," he said.
Mussa
will be buried today in a Muslim cemetery northwest of the
city after traditional Muslim rites and prayers, Elmi said.
After
leaving the strife of their homeland, having Mussa die at
such a young age is "very painful," he said.
The pain
is shared by leaders of the local Somali community, who said
11 Somalis have died violently in Alberta in recent months.
Mudhir
Mohamed, president of the Somali Canadian Society of
Calgary, said the community's grief over the deaths has been
compounded by the fact the victims were hard-working
immigrants who haven't been involved in criminal activity.
Many of
the cases are unsolved, but Mohamed praised police and
members of the public for their role in bringing about
arrests in Mussa's case.
Northwind Hart, 32, of no fixed address, was charged with
second-degree murder Friday.
His
brother, Kendall Brian Hart, 22, has now also been charged
Source:
Calgary Herald
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