Man shot dead in Brampton parking lot was Uber driver suspected of being his passenger – Toronto | The Canadian News

Two weeks after a fatal shooting in the parking lot behind a Brampton shopping plaza, Global News learned that the 45-year-old victim was an Uber driver who was at work when he was shot and killed.

In a statement to Global News in response to a request for comment, Uber spokesperson Navideh Forghani wrote: “This senseless act of violence that took the life of Mr. Raiz Ahmed is heartbreaking and our thoughts are with his family. .

“We are working with law enforcement on their investigation.”

It was 4:10 a.m. on Nov. 13 when police received a call from a 45-year-old man who was found dead with gunshot wounds behind a shopping plaza in the area of ​​Brickyard Way and Quarry Edge Drive in Brampton.

On November 15, police issued a press release saying that investigators with the Office of Homicide and Missing Persons, with the assistance of the Toronto Police Service, identified and charged a 23-year-old man in connection with the investigation. of the Brampton homicide.

The suspect, Carlton Brown, was arrested in the Broadview and Browning Avenue area of ​​Toronto.

The statement also showed a photo of two rifles and some ammunition that police allege were seized during a search warrant at Brown’s residence.

“During a search of his residence, officers located two firearms, one of which was a loaded .22 caliber rifle, believed to be involved in this incident,” the statement said.

The name of the victim or that he was an Uber driver was not mentioned. Nor was it mentioned that Brown was riding in the back of Ahmed’s Uber.

Uber says the passenger was immediately “deactivated” and says they are working to communicate with Ahmed’s family. Ahmed had been driving for Uber since 2019.

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Peel Police media relations spokesman Akhil Mooken said the victim’s name has not been released because it is an ongoing investigation and there are no family members locally.

Police sources told Global News that the victim had a wife and four children in Pakistan.

RideFairTO, a coalition of organizations trying to ensure that ridesharing in Toronto operates in the public interest safely for drivers and passengers, said it is very surprised that Global News reported that the victim was an Uber driver, for this to come out to the light.

“The fact that this has not been reported is almost incomprehensible to me. The community has the right to know. It is a very tragic story. Unfortunately, it’s not something that hasn’t happened before, ”said Thorben Wieditz.

RideFairTO will appear before a committee in the city of Toronto on Tuesday to discuss ride-sharing issues, including safety and training.

“Ride-sharing drivers are in a very precarious situation. They are often hesitant to decline trips out of fear of retaliation, fear of bad reviews, fear that their service rating will be affected or even deactivation, ”Wieditz said.

Just three weeks before Ahmed’s murder, Christopher Jung of Toronto, 73, lost control of his Beck taxi, colliding with a fence on Warden Avenue south of Eglinton.

Jung had been shot several times.

An arrest warrant has been issued across Canada for a 17-year-old boy whose identity is covered by the Juvenile Justice Act. Wanted for second degree murder.

Jung’s daughter Vanessa is still overwhelmed by her father’s murder and is shocked to hear that another driver has been shot and killed just three weeks after her father.

“I’m in shock. I can’t believe it happened at all, and that it happened so soon after my father’s murder,” Jung said.

Jung wondered what could be done to protect taxi and rideshare drivers.

“With Beck there was a camera at least to help the police. How can drivers be safe on the road? I don’t have the answers, ”Jung said, noting that once again a weapon was used.

“I am very sad for the family and for the children who lost their father at such a young age, it is heartbreaking,” Jung said holding back tears.