The trial for a man accused of fatally shooting Mylan Hicks two years ago got underway in a Calgary courtroom on Monday.
Hicks, 23, died in hospital after he was found shot outside the Marquee nightclub on September 25, 2016.
Nelson Lugela is charged with second-degree murder in connection to the death and has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Hicks was a defensive back on the Stampeders’ practice roster but never got the chance to play.
Hicks’ mother, Renee Hill, was in court on the first day of the trial and sobbed as the Crown outlined its case against Lugela.
Crown prosecutor Thomas Spark said Hicks was shot twice; once in the chest and a second time in the abdomen.
Stamps player Derek Dennis was the Crown’s first witness and he talked about an altercation that took place inside the bar involving a spilled drink.
He said that Stamps assistant coach, Kahlil Carter, even bought drinks for everyone to try and smooth things over.
Dennis said that he brought his car around to the front of the club at the end of the night and that he saw another altercation break out.
He says he got out of his vehicle and heard a bottle break, a gunshot and people running.
"I see Mylan running towards my direction. As I see Mylan running towards me I see the shooter come out with the gun pointed towards him. I see him take a second shot -- bang. I see Mylan starts to stumble," Dennis told court. "As he's stumbling, the shooter takes a third shot -- bang. After he took a third shot, that's when I see Mylan hit the concrete facedown."
Dennis told the court that he and teammate Jamal Nixon rushed in to help and that he saw a bullet hole in Hicks’ chest when they opened up his shirt. “You could see he's gasping for air and trying to hold on to himself.”
Dennis said he was scared for Hicks and that he hoped he could hold on until an ambulance arrived.
He said he then saw the shooter jump into a vehicle with two others and then it sped away.
The Crown says it plans to call 33 witnesses and a number of Stampeders’ players are expected to testify at the trial.
The trial is by judge alone and is scheduled for two weeks.
(With files from The Canadian Press)
