Ottawa

1 dead, 1 seriously injured after shooting inside Shifa Restaurant

A man in his 20s is dead and another was seriously injured after a shooting inside a west Ottawa restaurant on Sunday evening.

'It was everything you see [on TV]: loud, the yelling, lights at the ends of the guns,' nearby resident says

Homicide at Shifa Restaurant

9 years ago
Duration 0:40
A man was shot dead and another was critically injured during a shooting at Shifa Restaurant in Ottawa on Sunday night.

A man in his 20s is dead and another was seriously injured after a shooting inside a west Ottawa restaurant on Sunday evening.

Ottawa police surrounded Iris Plaza on Sunday evening after a fatal shooting inside Shifa Restaurant. (CBC News)

Police were called to the shooting at the Shifa Restaurant on Cobden Road, in the city's Pinecrest neighbourhood, at about 5:30 p.m. ET.

One victim was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene, while the other suffered "very serious" chest injuries, said Ottawa police.

Neither has been identified by police, but an autopsy on the man who was killed was underway early Monday afternoon.

'Hollywood-style takedown'

Justin Cullen lives at the end of Cobden Road and said while he didn't see or hear the shooting, he saw the entire police response from his front window.

Justin Cullen says he didn't think much was wrong when he saw the first police car on Cobden Road, until the officer took a firearm out of his trunk. (CBC)

"When I was texting my friends I said, 'There's a Hollywood-style takedown going on across the street in the mall,'" he said.

"We watch Brooklyn 99 or Cops or something like that and it was everything you see: loud, the yelling, lights at the ends of the guns, actually one of the cop cars had their beam trained on the restaurant."

Cullen said he moved to his current house in September from a different part of the city, and that it's been peaceful.

'They don't shoot other people'

One longtime resident of the community housing complex east of the shooting scene said there's a problem with drugs there, but that it doesn't affect residents.

Angel Vassilev says the neighbourhood near the scene has a problem with drugs, but it's safe if you don't get involved. (CBC)

"The point is that these people are shooting each other, they don't shoot other people or go attack somebody who doesn't have nothing to do with drugs or their problems," said Angel Vassilev.

"It's safe, I can say that. If you stay quiet, if you don't deal with them, you're safe. Even though it's not a good neighbourhood, I don't like it, but I can say [there's] no danger."

A motive for the shooting has not been determined, police said.

No arrests made, no suspects identified

Investigators interviewed witnesses at the scene and were checking to see if there was any surveillance footage, Duty Insp. Sean McDade said Sunday night.

The case is being led by the major crimes unit.

The scene inside Shifa Restaurant the day after a fatal shooting. (Judy Trinh/CBC)

No arrests have been made and no suspects identified.

"You can imagine with a crime scene like this and the amount of witnesses, it will take quite some time to determine exactly what has happened and determine any suspect information," McDade said.

McDade said it's too early to tell if the shooting is gang-related. He also said he didn't know how many people were inside the restaurant at the time of the shooting.

"You can understand there was quite a bit of panic," said McDade.

This is the city's sixth shooting and second homicide of 2016.