Lukas Strasser-Hird's killing preceded by dispute over coat check, court hears

Anger over a mix-up at anightclub coatcheckwas the "turning point" the evening that Lukas Strasser-Hird was killed, a Calgary court heard Wednesday as the trial of his alleged murderers began.

Crown prosecutorMarlo MacGregor told the jury thatone of the five accused,AssmarRyiadShlah,was visibly upset when he couldn't get his jacket as the night'sfestivities at Vinyl nightclubwere gearing down.

Strasser-Hird was outside the nightclub at that point, MacGregor said,but theincident neverthelesstriggered a series of events that eventually led to the 18-year-old Calgary resident being swarmed, beaten and stabbedto death in a nearbyalley.

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Shlahwaseventually able to identify his jacket by the keys in the pocket and obtain it from the coatcheck staff, but was still angry, court heard,andcontinued toyell at bouncers as he was escorted outside.

The Crown allegesShlahthenapproachedStrasser-Hird, who hit him, resulting in Shlah getting a bloody nose.

As the fight continued, MacGregorsaidsomeof Shlah's friendsdecided to"inject themselves" into the altercation.

Strasser-Hird was then escorted back into bar for his own safety, the court heard,and he and his friendswere laterushered out the back door into analley.

But Shlah'sgroup was waiting forthemin the alley, MacGregor told the jury.

Strasser-Hird triedto flee but was hit and knocked down, then "kicked repeatedly in the body and numerous times in the
face," the prosecutor said.

Crown to call100 witnesses

MacGregor said the Crown's case, whichwill include more than 100 witnesses, will detail hownumerous people tried to intervene while Strasser-Hirdwas kicked,stabbed and beaten.

She said bystanderstried to perform CPR on the critically injuredyoung man and, in a 911 call for help,the mob can still be heard in the background, harassing them.

He was rushed to Foothills Hospital andpronounced dead hours later, at 9:55 a.m.

Police seized Shlah'sshirt and shoesfor DNA testing, andMacGregorsaid she will present that evidence later in the trial.

Accused still at large

During the Crown's opening statement, Shlah and the other threeaccused that weresitting in the courtroom Joch Simon Pouk, Jordan Lee LiaoandFranz Cabrerashowed little emotion,mostly looking straight ahead.

Those four men were charged with second-degree murder in relation to Strasser-Hird's death.

A fifth accused,Nathan Paul Gervais, was charged with first-degree murder but he disappeared weeks before the trial began and remains at large.

All five pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.

Canada-wide warrants have been issued for Gervais' arrest and the Crown has said it will try him separately if and when he is apprehended.