deadmonton 2011 - russell haidar

Picard Drive is in Potter Greens, one of several neighbourhoods in the Lewis Farms area named after early Edmonton pioneers.

Sam Potter (1892-1984) first ran a dairy business in the Winterburn area. After moving to Edmonton in 1927, he continued to operate his dairy business until 1948. Potter eventually donated his land to the city for a new community church.

City of Edmonton records speak to the unique nature of the area. In 2005, 300 of the 525 households in Potter Greens reported a household income of over $100,00 or more – representing 21% of the city's households in that bracket.

Potter Greens incorporates six of the 18 fairways in the Lewis Estates golf course.

Homes in the area are in the half-million dollar range (even if they do all look mostly alike) and the neighbourhood had recorded just one incident of violent crime in all of 2010, according to the city.

Things were about to get much worse.

Folks who called the area home were shocked to hear about the shooting when told by reporters. What was normally a safe place to play by day ...

... had become a crime scene by night.

"I have my grandson that I take for a walk in the summer," a shaken Sheri Baker said. "Yeah, that's pretty scary."

"There's a little bit of breaking in of cars and that sort of stuff but I've never heard of anything like this happening before," resident Burnadene Ebanks said.

A police car sat running in the field all night to protect the area.

During most of 2011, Edmonton police made it a habit of labelling every death they attended as "suspicious" in nature despite obvious circumstances – including the Rosehill matter that saw two men found dead of gunshot wounds sitting inside a running SUV in a cemetery.

Edmonton Journal crime reporter Brent Wittmeier noted the change in practice on twitter, the micro-blogging social media site.

CBC Edmonton's Scott Fralick also made note of the change in procedure during his at-the-scene coverage.

News of the latest murder prompted other reaction from within the twittersphere.

A man who lived across the street from park said he woke up to see the police investigation already well underway.

"Didn't hear anything last night," Gregg Brain said. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

Brain was asked how seeing numerous officers scouring the field made him feel.

"A little bit uneasy but I'm sure hopefully we can figure out what's going on and we can go back to normal."

A woman named Suzanne who did not want her last name published was sitting in her den around 9:30 p.m. She heard what sounded like a car door slamming several times. Looking outside, she didn't see anything unusual.

"It was bang bang bang! We just heard four or five bangs. We just assumed it was a car door that couldn't close. I really didn't think anything of it," she said. The woman later heard helicopters flying around the neighbourhood.

With the shooting fresh in her mind, Suzanne said she won't ever look at the park behind her home in the same way.

"It's scary. We have small kids, so whatever happened I'm glad it happened late at night when they were in bed."

Doug Simmonds was sitting outside in his rear-deck hot tub around the time of the shooting.

"Was I out there then? How could I not have heard a gunshot? It's pretty unnerving," Simmonds said, adding he had a clear view of the park and playground from his deck.

Chris Kemp said he and his wife went to bed shortly before 11 p.m. and didn't hear anything. At about 2:00 a.m., police came to his door.

"They basically just asked us if we had heard anything," Kemp said. "I saw two or three police cars in the middle of the park."

Another man whose house sits on the edge of the park watched police activity from his back window.

"They had flashlights and they were in the field," Kyle Somerville said. "And then they had people on the ground."

Nearby, Richard Eastwood was writing an essay at a window that overlooked the park. "I noticed a bunch of police vehicles show up," he said.

Then a police helicopter circled overhead, shining a spotlight on the park. Moments later, an ambulance arrived.

"They backed into the playground and they picked somebody up," Eastwood said.

For some, news of the shooting came as a shock. Things like this weren't supposed to happen in a neighbourhood such as Lewis Estates – especially after you've just moved in.

"That's not good. Yeah, that's kind of scary," new resident Megan Dubyk said when reporters brought her up to speed.

"As I was just saying, I just moved here. Hopefully that's a one-time thing and it doesn't happen again. But yeah, that's quite sad."

"It's a little disturbing I guess," Terry Tully said. "You just don't expect to see this right out your back door."

The park was out the back door for many on Proctor Wynd, a road that wraps around the park on three sides. Debbie Kulay was asked if she felt the area was safe.

"Yes, it is and people walk their dogs there throughout the entire time," Kulay said. "And there's a convenience store just around the corner from it."

Dennis Tidball woke at 2:00 a.m. to someone knocking on his door.

"It was the police. They were just asking if we'd seen or heard anything."

Tidball said the officer he spoke to suggested organised criminal activity might have been involved.

"He mentioned it might have been a gang thing ..." he said, shrugging his shoulders.

One woman said had found what appeared to be the remains of drug use in the park sitting on an electrical box. She turned the items over to police.

The topic of gang-associated activity was the theme of an interview with an eight-year resident of Lewis Estates who believed drug deals were common in the area.

Don Ast was watching television at the time of the shooting but heard nothing unusual. However, he had noticed suspicious activity around the neighbourhood before.

"To have a shooting this close is kind of an eye-opener," Ast said. "We do every now and then see cars that really don't belong around here."

"There's strange cars – you know, maybe one or two a week – and then they get out of the car and then they mosey on into the park entrance there," Ast said.

"You see individuals going into the park and then returning and getting back in their cars.

"I know they're not going to use the porta-potty because there isn't one over there, so there's got to be something happening there. I've seen them around here. I've seen them on the golf course in the parking lot there, seen them at 7-11."

Ast was asked how news of the shooting has affected the neighbourhood.

"I don't think that's going to deter us from going [to the park] but we're going to have to be a little more wary of what is happening," he said. "Kinda makes you want to say, keep your doors locked and your alarm system on."

If anyone would know anything about porta-potties and potty-humour, it was Don Ast – a comedian once better known as Nestor Pistor – read more »

Beginning in the early 1970s, Don Ast performed as Nestor Pistor – a Ukrainian poking fun at fellow Ukrainians. The humour wasn't high-brow – but that never bothered Ast or his legion of fans.

His recordings earned Ast four Juno nominations for Comedy Album of the Year, and his performance at the World Championship Snowgolf Tournament held near Prince George, B.C., remains a classic.

Ast's/Pistor's recording have been recently been digitally re-mastered and are available here for purchase.

Playing everything from boat shows to small prairie community halls to the Calgary Stampede and Edmonton's Klondike Days exhibitions, the story-teller and singer by-claim-only had a faithful following – big enough to help him ease into his Lewis Estate home where Nestor Pistor Productions continues to operate from.

A Nestor Pistor For Prime Minister Facebook page remains active, and those brave enough can get a taste of his unique comic style on YouTube here and here.

"They come to play here – not by themselves," mother-of-two Brandy Leudemann said while overlooking the park there the teen was found.

"It's scary and I'm saddened. I half-expect the young victim is going to be a resident of this community league."

Leudemann, president of the Lewis Estates Community League, said it was common for teens to hang out in the park during evening hours but she had never heard of any sort of violent activity before.

She said residents had once tried to set up a Neighbourhood Watch program but not enough volunteers come forward. Leudemann hoped the shooting would now lead to meaningful change.

"We could do so much, there's so many programs whether it's security or safety-related, or if it's an event, you're always looking for volunteers," she said.

"Whether you hold a block party, or you build neighbourhood watch. It's building community, you're getting to know your neighbours, and you're watching out for one another."

Leudemann hoped preventive measures would hold the violence that has plagued other city communities at bay.

"It's a nice, safe neighbourhood, but any neighbourhood has little things going on. The police can't do everything and it really comes down to us helping out," she said.

"It's troubling. It's a playground. Even if it was late at night, it's not something you want to hear about happening in your community."

Another eight-year Lewis Estates resident took a larger view.

"It's so sad. What a broken world we live in," Ken MacDonald said. "This is a great community, but it could happen anywhere."

Bill Albers said the shooting was an unfortunate event unrelated to the quiet neighbourhood and most he knew weren't concerned about their safety.

"I think it was random [that] they decided to come here," he said.

"He was a funny guy. He always had some jokes to tell," Reef Pilgrim said.

The two met about two years ago through mutual high school friends at. "I knew him enough to say goodbye," the friend said.

Pilgrim said Haidar lived in the Lewis Estates neighbourhood.

"This is the farthest place you'd think there would be a shooting. This just shows you that anything ... it's all out there."

The friend said Haidar had a "big smile, always willing to care for a guy, always willing to have your back ... it's just a sin that he's gone. I never saw this coming at all."

Pilgrim then offered a caution – or perhaps a lesson learned.

"You just need to watch yourself, because the wrong people might get mixed up with you and then ... this happens," he said.

"He was a really good guy. He's funny – everything," Reha Karacan said. "Like I like him ... he's doing jokes about me."

"We would just like go out together and have fun ... great guy," Jem Kaya said.

Haidar's friends confirmed his death through social media after first seeing the news on TV.

"I went straight to the news and I saw it – Lewis Estates – now that's not right," Kaya said.

"Then I go on Facebook, I see him like rest in peace Russell. I was like, fuck ... It's not the best thing."

The two knew Haidar from Hillcrest Junior High and later Ross Sheppard. When told there was speculation among neighbours that Haidar's death could be drug or gang-related, Kaya scoffed at the notion.

"Why ... right, why?" he said. "I would never expect him like to happen like this. He's not the type of guy."

While the comments left on the Rest in Peace Russell Haidar Facebook page could best be described as "unverified," their immediacy suggested a certain amount of truth.

What follows is a selection of postings (some since removed) that offer a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of those who knew Haidar.

Readers should bear in mind that it is not always wise to judge people by their friends – or their friend's comments (teen bravado being what it is).

Others would be wise to learn that what goes on up on Facebook ... doesn't necessarily stay on Facebook ...

... something at least one now-wise parent caught onto and tweeted about.

Max Bateman missed his friend.

"If I knew this was going to happen then I would have seen him last week – I would have seen him every single day until now," he said.

A reporter asked Bateman if Haidar had any enemies.

"Not that I know of. Like me and Russell, we were friends and we talked about everything. We would just hang out with friends, we'd party a little bit."

Whether there was anything in Russell's lifestyle that would had led him to believe his friend would die a violent death, Bateman seemed certain there wasn't.

"No not at all ... not with Russell. I don't think something could go that far. As [for] him ending up like this ... it just doesn't make sense. I'm still shocked."

Russell Haidar had moved to Edmonton at an early age from Montreal. He attended Hillcrest Junior High and went on to Jasper Place High, later switching to Ross Sheppard.

A post Haidar's Facebook memorial page suggested the change of high schools was not by choice.

Friends said the park where Haidar was shot was only blocks from where he lived with his mother, father and four younger brothers and sisters.

Haidar had turned 17 on October 4th, a little over two months before he was killed as a result of what police said was "not a random act."

One who knew Haidar well was Matt Hallett. They first met at Hillcrest and remained friends even after they attended different high schools.

"Like we ended up being really, really close friends and hung out a lot, like every day kind of thing," Hallett said.

"He was like a really, really generous kid. He always looked out for me – he always had my back. He was just one of the nicest kids out there."

How does one of the nicest kids die from a gunshot wound, a reporter asked.

"I can't even answer that ... I don't even know. It's ... it's really messed up."

Hallett admitted that Haidar had recently associated with some individuals who were "involved in drugs."

"And that's what I've been hearing is kinda what happened," he said, remaining vague.

Haidar's friend recalled a recent visit to Potter Greens Park.

"We used to play ball there, we'd go to the outdoor rink there. Now I drive by it and I'm just like, wow ... anything can happen in a second."

Others were quoted by media in veiled terms when it came to Haidar's past, using words such as "checkered" and "troubled history with the law."

But friends said that despite what had passed, he was giving to those who were close to him. Most were still coming to terms with his tragic death.

"He was always really good to me – if I needed a place to stay, it was never a problem. He was always there for me when I needed him," Kaila Mackenzie said.

Himanshu Sharma said the first impression he got of Haidar when the two first met at the Westmount Shopping Centre was that he was a "bad ass." However, Haidar's quick smile and easy manner soon erased that.

"He was a nice guy, a sweetheart," Sharma said. "He was really funny, a jolly person."

Sharma said he was shocked when his father told him about his friend's death. Haidar "never fought," he said.

For Lebanese kids living in Edmonton's west end, friends were as good as family. Jordan Halabi said he and Haidar often hung out together in Halabi's basement.

"My mom loved him," Halabi said. "He was like a big brother."

Other fellow Ross Sheppard students recalled the big smile Haidar wore as he cruised the hallways.

Angelique Dusseault said her chum would often put his arm around her neck and invite her to hang out. She described Haidar as a guy with a great sense of humour who was a big fan of "funny music," like Jamaican reggae.

"When he cared about somebody, he had their back. He was just a good guy," Dusseault said, adding Haidar had "made some bad choices" but didn't deserve to die.

Whatever those bad choices were, his death wasn't related to drugs or gangs, Mohamad Zain said.

"He was the last kind of person you'd think would get caught up in something like this. It was a complete fluke."

What comprised a "complete fluke" was not explored further.

Zain last saw his "good hearted" friend buying ice cream just a few days before he died.

"I just said 'What's up?' and then that was it. That was the last time we talked," he said.

Additional images of the Potter Greens memorial can be seen here »

"The crime patterns forever have shown that young males are the most frequent victims of violent crime and perpetrators for violent crime," Tony Simioni said.

"I would have expected the numbers to be even higher."

As to why males under 30 were more violent, Simioni said it was anybody's guess. But the officer suspected the testosterone-laden demographic was more prone to aggressive and territorial behaviour.

The high number of young males in the city could also factor into a homicide rate that's higher than cities of similar or greater size.

"This is a transient city," Simioni said. "It's a highly industrial city with a lot of trades and a lot of labour issues, so that's always been a factor."

Simioni noted that police departments staff themselves not only on the basis of population but demographics as well. Young males, he said, always have a higher risk of being a victim or perpetrator of a violent crime.

Dozens attended the service. Many were teenagers, some dressed in black, who hugged each other for support as they remembered the young man as a happy teenager who looked out for his friends.

After the service, family members sobbed as Russell's coffin began a final journey – too distraught to speak.

The mosque's Imam, Sheik Mustafa Khattab, said Russell's age and the nature of his death was devastating for many, a tragedy compounded by what little was known about the circumstances that led to it.

A pair of teens spoke to media on condition of anonymity.

One said he had known Haidar for years, and said Russell was a good guy who was standing up for himself.

"He was a kid," the friend said. "That's the end of it."

Haidar had gone to the park to "squash a problem" and to say he was sorry to another kid, according to the teen.

"It was supposed to be kids, but one kid had a gun," the friend said.

The teen added Haidar was not the type of kid who would be in a gang or who would fight.

The other teen agreed.

"Being in the wrong place at the wrong time, actually," he explained. "He's not the kind of kid that's in a gang. He was just a kid."

Those unable to attend the funeral sent their regrets via Facebook »

• In Edmonton: text TIP250 + message and send to CRIMES (274637)
• In Northern Alberta: text TIP205 + message and send to CRIMES (274637)

A confirmation message and unique code number will then be sent. Tipsters can respond by replying.