Closing arguments begin in murder trial in death of innocent B.C. teen bystander

Closing arguments have begun in the double murder trial of a man accused of killing an innocent Coquitlam, B.C., teen and a gangster in 2018.

In its closing address to the jury, the Crown said this is a complex case, and after 10 weeks of evidence and around 125 exhibits, the central issue is identity.

No one saw who pulled the trigger that killed 15-year-old Alfred Wong as he and his family drove along West Broadway near Columbia Street on Jan. 13, 2018. The case hinges on the Crown’s ability to prove the shooter’s identity.

Kane Carter, 28, is accused of killing Wong and Kevin Whiteside, and wounding another innocent person. The Crown alleged Carter came to the location to murder Whiteside, who himself was in the area to kill gang rival Matthew Navas-Rivas.

Carter has pleaded not guilty to the two charges of second-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault.

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Surveillance video captured Whiteside running down Broadway and firing at a cab carrying his rival. Navas-Rivas and the other passenger ducked and escaped alive while Whiteside was fatally shot and died on the sidewalk.

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Wong was struck by a stray bullet and died while a person in another vehicle was grazed.

Seconds later, a burgundy van across the street left the scene. The Crown alleged Carter was in this vehicle. It was later determined to be the same van used by a drug line and was found at Carter’s apartment building in Surrey. The Crown says it believes it is the same vehicle due to its distinctive features, including the ‘N’ decal on the back and that it had bullet damage to the driver’s side door.

Gunshot residue and three bullet casings were found inside, along with a bloody tissue and other DNA evidence tied to Carter.

The Crown says evidence shows the trajectory of the bullets that hit Wong, Whiteside and the other victim came from the south where the van was parked.

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Alfred Wong’s parents watched from the courtroom gallery Tuesday, accompanied by VPD victim services and a support dog.

The Crown is expected to finish its closing arguments Wednesday while B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Wedge is expected to provide her final instructions to the jury on Sept. 6, after which it will begin deliberating a verdict.