Last week, Toronto police released a graphic video of a deadly east-end shooting, which claimed the life of a friend of Canadian musician Drake, in the hopes of identifying the gunmen.
The images of OVO Sound affiliate Anthony “Fif” Soares’ brutal killing on Sept. 14, captured by a surveillance camera and released last week by police, were shocking.
Last Tuesday, Toronto police Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux, who is in charge of the Soares’ homicide investigation, released the video at a news conference where he appealed to the No Tellin’ rapper to send out a tweet asking for people to come forward with information to help solve the case.
READ MORE: Video shows Drake’s friend gunned down in Toronto apartment building lobby
Giroux said 33-year-old Soares was dropped off at a residential highrise on Glamorgan Avenue near Kennedy Road and Highway 401 around 3 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14 when he was gunned down by two assailants inside the building’s lobby.
“It certainly was very targeted. It was focused,” Giroux said. “It was certainly overkill.”
Senior police officials are privately expressing dismay that Drake has so far ignored a homicide detective’s request to encourage witnesses to step forward to help solve Soares’ killing, according to the Toronto Star.
READ MORE: Drake mourns death of OVO Sound affiliate who was fatally shot in Scarborough
“Many of the family members have met Drake,” Giroux told reporters.
“I certainly would encourage him through his tweets to encourage anybody within the community to come forward with regards to any information they have that may assist in solving his friend’s murder,” Giroux said.
A few days later, there was still no mention of the homicide on Drake’s official Twitter account.
“I would hope if Drake was a real and true friend that he would encourage anyone with information that pertains to the murder of a close friend to share that information with the police with a mind to protecting the community and bring justice to the deceased’s family,” Giroux told the Toronto Star in a statement.
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Some people online began to criticize Drake for his lack of help in his friend’s homicide case.
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Some people were making reference to the shooting that killed two people at Drake’s OVO Fest after-party at Muzik nightclub in 2015. Drake was under pressure to denounce gun violence and appeal for witnesses.
“Drake we need your voice to help #StopTheViolence in #Toronto,” a post from CrimeStoppers read. A statement was posted to his website 10 days later, but was criticized on social media for not calling for an end to gun violence or urging potential witnesses to co-operate with police.
READ MORE: 2 dead, 3 injured after shooting at Muzik nightclub in Toronto
One Twitter user cited the lyrics from Drake’s song, No Tellin’, as a possible explanation for Drake not asking witnesses to come forward.
“Police coming round looking for some help on a case they gotta solve we never help em,” the Twitter user wrote, quoting Drake’s lyrics.
Other people on Twitter began questioning why the Toronto rapper is being asked to “solve the crime.”
https://twitter.com/ThatTorontoGirl/status/912290985115361280
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Soares’ death didn’t go unacknowledged by Drake. The Signs singer posted a photo of Soares on his Instagram account, with the caption referring to him as “one of our family members.”
“It was an honour to have shared years together and I will always keep your memory alive,” the post read.
Toronto tattoo artist Inal Bersekov posted a photo of Drake’s latest tattoo, a detailed portrait of Soares with the words “Forever Fif.”
Drake attended Soares’ funeral on Saturday at Ogden Funeral Home chapel in Scarborough, Ont. He was one of the pallbearers at the funeral.
Anyone with information about Soares’ murder is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
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