Ibrahim Amjad Ibrahim.
Image Credit: RCMP HANDOUT
October 12, 2017 - 1:02 PM
KAMLOOPS - A man who was with a Red Scorpion co-founder when he was murdered in Kamloops last month has been killed in Richmond.
Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says in an email statement to iNFOnews.ca police are not connecting the two homicides at this point.
Ibrahim Amjad Ibrahim, 30, was found dead in Richmond on Oct. 10, just weeks after he was at the scene of Konaam Shirzad's murder. Shelkie says the Lower Mainland's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is investigating the circumstances of Ibrahim's death.
Shelkie could not confirm whether Ibrahim was a known member of the Red Scorpions, although she said he was a known associate of Shirzad's.
Police in Kamloops are still investigating Shirzad's murder, which happened on Sept. 21, 2017, near his home on Hudson's Trail in Kamloops's West End neighbourhood. Two people were with Shirzad at the time and one of them was shot and taken to hospital. Shelkie says Ibrahim was not shot in the incident.
Shelkie says in the email the RCMP protects the safety of victims and witnesses, and for that reason, the names of the witnesses to Shirzad's murder were not released previously.
"However, in light of this recent development, RCMP is confirming (Ibrahim's) presence in the Kamloops incident as it highlights the danger of not only participation in criminal activities but even the association with those involved in organized crime," Shelkie says. "As we see time and again, the end result of organized crime activity is often an untimely death. The average age of a murdered B.C. gang member or associate is just under 30 years old."
Kamloops RCMP Staff Sgt. Simon Pillay, with the Serious Crimes Unit, tells iNFOnews.ca that police tried to work with Ibrahim after Shirzad was murdered.
"On the night of Konaam Shirzad's murder, we really did reach out to Ibrahim knowing his history, and we sought his cooperation. This is a person who witnessed a murder first hand," Pillay says.
But Ibrahim didn't cooperate. Pillay says if he did, police would have tried to help ensure his safety, as they do with any witnesses or victims who come forward with information about a crime.
"When people choose to engage in this criminal activity... this result is very predictable," Pillay says.
Although police and investigators have not yet confirmed Ibrahim's homicide was directly linked to his ties to organized crimes, Pillay stresses that being involved in that lifestyle never ends well.
Police are asking for the public's help in the investigation into Shirzad's homicide and anyone with information is asked to contact Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Find past stories on Konaam Shirzad's murder here.
— This story was updated at 3:18 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017 to include new information from Kamloops RCMP Staff Sgt. Simon Pillay.
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