No bias found in Calgary homicide investigation that saw wrongful charges laid against young brothers
![Calgary Marlborough Park deadly shooting Calgary police taped off part of a parking lot, located in the 1400 block of 52 Street N.E., following a shooting that left one man dead. (Nicole Di Donato/CTV News)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/11/13/calgary-marlborough-park-deadly-shooting-1-6643562-1699914558557.jpg)
An independent review by the RCMP found a Calgary police investigation that resulted in the wrongful charging of a pair of brothers in relation to a homicide was "legally compliant, reasonable, ethical and carried out without inappropriate influence or bias."
The city's top cop has reported back to the Calgary Police Commission with the findings.
The charges were connected to the fatal shooting of Rami Hajj Ali in the community of Marlborough Park on Nov. 13, 2023.
Police said the 23-year-old was shot to death in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Trans Canada Centre, in the 1400 block of 52 Street N.E., just before 2 p.m.
Two additional people were injured and were taken to hospital.
A 14-year-old boy was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.
An 18-year-old, the boy's brother, was also charged with one count of accessory to murder after the fact.
Crown prosecutors would later stay the charges against both.
At that time, Calgary Police Service Chief Const. Mark Neufeld offered a public apology to the brothers and their family.
Neufeld asked the RCMP to conduct the independent review.
The findings of that review, by way of Neufeld's report to the commission, are available online.
The report offers some details of what led to the charges:
"Initial witness information provided descriptions of the shooter, including clothing type and colour, skin colour and type and colour of the vehicle in which the shooter fled the scene," the report states.
"Minutes later, CPS located a vehicle and occupant matching this description in vicinity to the scene.
"A chain of events followed that included a vehicle pursuit through Calgary and ended with arrests in Southeast Calgary.
"The investigation continued over the subsequent days and homicide-related charges were ultimately laid against the two brothers with approval of the Crown."
The report also offers some details of what led to the charges being stayed:
"A video of the shooting surfaced online. Based on the video, it was determined the two brothers were not responsible for the shooting," the report states.
Eight days elapsed from the shooting to the staying of the charges.
"While most of the actions of the CPS were reasonable, understandable and repeatable, the review noted areas for improvement that fell short of best practices. It is possible that, if these best practices had been followed, it may have prevented the homicide-related charges, or identified the issue sooner," the report states.
"The review was clear, however, that most members of the review team felt they would have acted similarly to the CPS homicide team under similar circumstances."
Neufeld apologized again to the brothers.
"I want to underscore that we recognize the impact of this event on the two young men charged, their family and the community. I reiterate the public apology I have made in this regard. This event has also profoundly impacted CPS and we will be making positive improvements to our processes as a result," the report states.
Investigation into the homicide continues.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6930794.1718830568!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Calls for change to B.C.'s child protection system after disturbing case of neglect
Is B.C.'s child protection system outdated and in need of a major overhaul? The province's representative for children and youth believes so, and that 'a new model' is needed.
Ont. mother loses $6K during Facebook marketplace transaction
An Ontario woman is sharing her story after she lost $6,000 by clicking a fraudulent link disguised to look like an e-transfer during a Facebook Marketplace transaction.
Rapper Travis Scott arrested for disorderly intoxication, trespassing early Thursday
American rapper Travis Scott, whose legal name is Jacques Bermon Webster, was arrested and booked into Miami-Dade County Jail early Thursday morning, county jail records show.
Manitoba hit with five tornadoes last week
Tornado season entered Manitoba with a bang last week.
Train collision in Chile kills at least 2 people and injures 9 others
At least two people were killed and nine others injured Thursday when a train full of passengers collided head-on with another train on a test run just outside the capital of Chile, where fatal railway crashes remain rare.
Senators approve bill to fight foreign interference after voting down amendment
The Senate has passed a government bill intended to help deter, investigate and punish foreign interference.
Gunman in Toronto shooting was not evil, but 'broken' by fraud dispute: wife
The wife of the gunman in Monday's double murder-suicide in North York says she doesn't consider her husband an evil person, but one who was 'broken' by a lengthy fraud dispute that saw their family savings drained.
Illegally brewed liquor kills at least 34 with dozens hospitalized in southern India
At least 34 people have died and dozens hospitalized after drinking illegally brewed liquor in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, local media reported on Thursday.
Heat warnings blanket the east and in Northwest Territories; humidex temperatures push the mid-40s
Heat warnings blanket Canada's eastern corridor Thursday as the year's first major heat wave drags on, and even parts of Northwest Territories are feeling the burn.