Toronto Police identify 20-year-old Abdul Yeberebaba as a suspect in the fatal shooting of Jahkai Jack after two arrests were made in connection to the case.
Toronto police say a Canada-wide warrant has been issued for the arrest of a 20-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of 15-year-old Jahkai Jack.
Jack was shot and killed near Buttonwood and Charlton Settlement avenues shortly after 10 p.m. on June 7.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Det.-Sgt. Phillip Campbell said the teen was just visiting the area with friends when he was shot.
“There was a group of people hanging around, possibly filming a rap video, Jahkai and a couple of his friends went to that area. There was an altercation and Jahkai ended up getting shot,” he said.
“He was 15 years old, he was not involved in gangs, he was not engaged in criminal activity, he was simply a young person meeting friends on a summer night.”
Jahkai Jack, Jahkai Jack, 15, is seen in this undated photo released by Toronto police. (Toronto Police Service handout)
Campbell called the shooting a “completely unprovoked” act of violence that has “devastated his family, his friends, and his community.”
“That devastation has not gone away,” Campbell said. “His family continues to live with the unimaginable loss of a child whose life was just beginning.”
An arrest warrant has been issued for Abdul Yeberebaba, 20, of Toronto, who is wanted for second-degree murder.
On Tuesday, police said 19-year-old man Jayden Samuel-James, of Toronto, was arrested for accessory after the fact. A second man, identified by investigators as Rajveer Gill, 21, was arrested in British Columbia and is facing the same charge, Campbell said.
“When I spoke in July, I issued a warning. I said that anyone who helped the person responsible… could face charges,” Campbell said.
“These two arrests demonstrate that we meant what we said.”
Campbell was unable to speculate on the location of Yeberebaba.
“You know we are looking for you… do the right thing, turn yourself in,” Campbell said Thursday.
“Speak to a lawyer and arrange to surrender. Continuing to evade police will only make the situation worse.”
He urged the public to contact police with any information they may have about the whereabouts of the suspect.
“If anybody out there has anything, even an idea or a theory or some idea on where he might be, give me a call, I’ll investigate it,” Campbell said. “I want to get this person into custody. He needs to face charges.”