Video surveillance introduced in Jayme Pasieka’s first-degree murder trial Monday shows a man identified as the accused buying two knives half an hour before the deadly February 2014 attacks at a west end Loblaw’s warehouse.
A man dressed in black and wearing a cap could be seen entering the Supply Sargent at West Edmonton Mall at 1:21 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2014.
READ MORE: Crown tells jury Jayme Pasieka trial not a question of who did it but intent
The store’s assistant manager helped the man who he identified as the accused.
Garry Swartz testified Pasieka knew exactly what he wanted and asked to purchase two specific knives.
Swartz said he only had one in stock so Pasieka bought two different knives.
Their interaction was pretty unremarkable, according to Swartz.
He testified that Pasieka “was normal compared to other people.” Swartz also said Pasieka was “very polite the way he dealt with me as well.”
Crown prosecutor Kim Goddard drew attention to one moment on the surveillance video where Pasieka could be seen making a thrusting motion with the knife in his hand.
Swartz downplayed that, saying customers often test out a knife’s grip before purchasing it.
The video shows Pasieka stayed in the store until 1:33 p.m. Half an hour later, an attacker stabbed several workers at the Loblaw’s warehouse.
READ MORE: Loblaw attack victims testify at Jayme Pasieka trial: ‘He was trying to kill me’
Fitzroy Harris, 50, and Thierno Bah, 41, died as a result of stab wounds suffered during the attacks.
Pasieka worked at the warehouse and several employees have testified that he was the attacker.
On Friday, court watched surveillance video from inside the warehouse. It showed a man identified as Pasieka enter the building and begin his shift.
One camera showed a man move into view out of an aisle and then fall to the ground. Several employees rushed to help him.
LISTEN: 911 call from Loblaw warehouse stabbing
Then, from the bottom of the frame, the man said to be Pasieka aggressively walks towards the group and sends them running.
On another camera, viewers can clearly see a knife in one of the attacker’s hands.
Employees fled the warehouse and gathered in the parking lot. The man believed to be Pasieka then left the building and headed towards the group. People once again scattered and the attacker got in his vehicle and left.
READ MORE: Chilling surveillance video shown at Jayme Pasieka murder trial
The Crown prosecutor showed Swartz pictures of the weapons seized from Pasieka’s car when he was arrested. Tests showed the blood found on the weapons belonged to the victims of the attack.
Swartz said the two knives appeared to be the ones he sold to Pasieka.
He also identified pictures of the boxes the knives came in and a camouflage bag used by Supply Sargent.
Swartz testified he is sure that Pasieka is the same man that was in Supply Sargent that day.
He said Pasieka was a regular customer and he occasionally saw him at music shows around the city.
When pictures of the accused began appearing on the news following the Loblaw’s attacks, Swartz recognized him.
“That face is kind of very recognizable,” he said. “You don’t forget that face.”
The jury trial continues Tuesday.
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