Two suspects have been arrested in connection with what appears to be the random murder of a 26-year-old man who police say was “shot and killed for no reason” as he walked toward his parked car earlier this month.
Nnamdi Ogba was walking back to his parked car in the Scarlettwood Court area of Etobicoke at around 11 p.m. on March 16 when two men approached him from behind and shot him in the back before getting into an awaiting SUV and fleeing the scene.
Police have said that Ogba, a Brampton resident, did not live in the area and was just visiting with a teammate on his soccer team prior to his death.
Though a precise motive remains unknown, they say that Ogba is not believed to have even known his assailants and may have been targeted as part of a “back and forth turf war” that he had nothing to do with.
Ogba worked as an electrical engineer and was engaged to be married at the time of his death.
“At this point I don’t want to get into the nature of the motive for the incident. What I can say is that my initial assessment that Mr. Ogba was an innocent man walking through a particular neighbourghood who was shot and killed for no reason, that still holds today, “ Det. Jason Shankaran told reporters at a news conference on Thursday afternoon. “Success in this investigation I believe comes directly as a result of the community members involved and their assistance. Every murder in this city is unacceptable but when an innocent life is taken for no reason the community has to stand up and say enough.”
Five search warrants executed
Police executed five search warrants on Thursday - two in the Trethewey and Black Creek drives area, one in the Trethewey Drive and Jane Street area, one in the Sentinel Road and Finch Avenue West area and one in the Bathurst and Lawrence Avenue West area.
As a result of those search warrants, two suspects were arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Shankaran said that information provided by the community proved pivotal in identifying and arresting those suspects.
He also added that the senseless nature of the tragedy “inspired” detectives to work “incredibly hard” on bringing the alleged killers to justice.
“The nature of Mr. Ogba having no affiliations to any gang and not even having any criminal record himself, I think that caused people to look closely at what this situation was and people did look into their hearts and they did come forward with information that assisted us,” he said.
Detective says mother’s plea may have inspired people to come forward
Ogba’s mother made an emotional plea for her son’s killers to turn themselves in following his death and on Thursday Shankaran said that it is likely that she may have inspired some of the people who later came forward to investigators with information.
He said that telling Ogba’s family about his death was “one of the hardest notifications” he has ever had to do, though he said it did in a way give fuel to his determination to crack the case.
“You can always judge a person’s character by the people they are surrounded by and I knew that we were dealing with a good man just by speaking to his family members and those who were close to him,” he said. “You could tell that his death would be felt not only by his immediate family but the entire community. I think that impassioned our own detective constables who did incredible work.”
Family members on hand for news conference
A number of Ogba’s family members were on hand for the police news conference on Thursday afternoon, including his father Sylva Okzie.
Okzie told reporters afterwards that he still can’t understand why anyone “would put a family into sorrow overnight for no reason.”
“We just want to know what happened. What did he do wrong?” he said. “Who did he offend? What is it that happened that cannot be resolved where you would be ready to take someone’s life?”
Okzie said that his family was always “very confident” that police would find those responsible for his son’s death but he said he was nonetheless relieved and excited to be informed of the news of arrests in the case on Thursday morning.
“People have been praying,” he said.
Enhanced police presence in area of shooting
Police say that they do have an enhanced presence in the area of the shooting and will remain in the neighbourhood for a period of time to reassure residents and community members.
Meanwhile, Shankaran said that detectives are continuing to search for the alleged getaway-driver in the homicide.
Police have previously said that the getaway vehicle was a “newer model” Nissan Rogue.
“Anyone with any further information in this case should be made aware that this investigation is not over. To the getaway driver we will find you and we will arrest you,” Shankaran said.
The suspects, identified as 19-year-old Trevaughan Miller and 22-year-old Abdullahi Mohamed, were scheduled to appear in court on Thursday afternoon on charges of first-degree murder.
