EDMONTON -- Warning: This story contains imagery that some viewers may find disturbing.
A person was shot dead in downtown Edmonton on Tuesday.
Police found the male hurt on the street near 109 Street and 109 Avenue around 3 p.m. before he died.
Members of Edmonton's African community first identified the shooting victim as Mahad Bashir Farah, a "typical young man who grew up and was born in Canada."
Mahamad Accord told CTV News Edmonton he knows Farah's family. He shared video of what appeared to be Farah's final moments: a Snapchat recording of the man falling to the ground and bleeding from a chest wound.
Police confirmed the 25-year-old's identity and cause of death as a gunshot wound on Wednesday.
Accord said the shooting is the sixth time a member of his community has been gunned down in Alberta's capital city in 2020. He is concerned law enforcement is ignoring issues in his community.
"Our community, African community here, are suffering because of a lack of service from law enforcement, especially Edmonton," he commented.
"It's not going to change unless something drastic happens. And we are looking for answers to the province and to the federal (government)."
EPS says it does not disclose victims' ethnicities under privacy law, but that it does investigate all homicides "fully and equally."
Spokesperson Patrycja Mokrzan added police are working to increase collaboration with affected communities and stakeholders.
Anyone with information about Farah's death or who lives in the area and may have residential or vehicle security cameras was asked to contact Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567.
Farah, then 23 years old, was charged in 2019 with assault in connection to a shooting at Alibi Ultra Lounge.
Farah's homicide was the 35th in the city, EPS Chief Dale McFee said on Thursday. For the same time frame in 2019, Edmonton had counted 26 homicides, a trend McFee said is being noted across North America.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jay Rosove
