'Shouldn't be happening here': Police investigate ByWard Market homicide

Ottawa police are investigating another homicide in the ByWard Market after a manwas shot and killed early Monday morning.

It happened on Dalhousie Street, between York and George streets,at about 3 a.m.That section of road was closed for hours but reopened as of 12:30 p.m. Monday.

Evidence of the shooting could be seen on the sidewalk and side of the building outside Osmow's restaurant, and more in front ofDunn's Famous 24-hour diner.

The shooting was "the result of an altercation that escalated," according to Ottawa police major crime unit Staff Sgt. Bruce Pirt.

Police would not say where the altercation took place.

The victim has been identified by police as 21-year-old Ryan Kabuya-Ntumba of Ottawa.

Mayor, residents decry violence in ByWard Market

5 years ago

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Ottawa police are investigating a shooting on Dalhousie Street in the ByWard Market.

'Traumatic'

"I have a person killed in front of my store. That's traumatic,"said HassanMazara, whoowns Osmow's restaurant.

"Tourists come around here and this is a major tourism hub in Ottawa. This shouldn't be happening here."

Mazara opened the business in May and said he had planned to open early for Canada Day his busiest day of the year. Hours after the shooting, he was still waiting for blood to be cleaned up and for police tape to come down.

He was shocked by the incident,and said he hopes police and the ByWard Market BIA crack down on gunplay in the area.

Diana Martinez, whoowns a nearby cafe called La Catarina, called the incident"kind of sad."

"We're always talking about Canada being so safe and then you have three [homicides] in a short period of time. Hopefully people still want to come, but yeah, there's always the fear that that will affect us, for sure."

Last year, she and her husband chose to start closingtheir business early at 11 p.m.instead of 1 a.m. because of how "rough" the market was becoming at night. Shedidn't want her staff to feel unsafe.

Mathieu Racine is visiting Ottawa from Montreal for Canada Day and had been in the area last night with his family.

"It's kind of sad to see this kind of thing happen. It's a family day. There's a lot of young families around here."

No suspects in custody

Police officers who werein the market at the time heard the shooting and responded, according to a media release issued later Monday morning.

The officersfound the victim and performed first aid until paramedics arrived. Paramedicsthen tookhim to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

No arrests have been made.

Mayor Jim Watson called the shooting"unacceptable."He also said there's a strong police presence around the city Monday for Canada Daywith Ottawa police, OPP and RCMP all stationed in the downtown core.

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3rd market homicide this year

Monday's homicide is the third in the ByWard Market so far this year.

Markland Campbell, 42, was shot in ByWard Market Square, not far from York Street, at about 9:30 p.m. on Friday, June 7, and was pronounced dead in hospital.

And Emilio Jimenez, 25, was shot on York Street in the ByWard Market at about 2 a.m. on Thursday, April 18, and was pronounced dead in hospital.

Charges have been laid in both cases.

Can't see the map of all the homicidesin Ottawa so far in 2019? Click here.