Friend of Kelowna homicide victim calls Canada Day stabbing ‘shocking’

The stabbing death of Esa Carriere in Kelowna on Canada Day has resulted in an outpouring of support, a close friend told Global Okanagan on Tuesday.

“I think everyone’s in shock,” Kevin Condie of Mississauga, Ont., said of Carriere, 23, who was fatally stabbed around 10:50 p.m. on Sunday. The incident happened in the 1400-block of Water Street, near the Queensway bus loop.

Carriere was rushed to hospital, but later passed away from his injuries.

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Police are asking for the public’s help in finding the assailant or assailants, though they were quick to call it an isolated event.

Asked what type of person Carriere was, Condie said “he was actually a genuine guy”, adding they had known each other quite well for the past 10 years.

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“I don’t know why he even left for B.C. in the first place, to be honest,” said Condie. “Other than that, he was looking out for everybody, he was making sure everybody had what they needed, whether it was beer, whatever, a couple dollars. I didn’t know too many people that really didn’t like the guy.”

Regarding Carriere’s hobbies, Condie said “he was big into his rapping. He liked to write and do poetry and stuff like that. He was big into the festival scene, like going to concerts, just letting loose and having a good time.”

“Honestly, I’m still kind of in shock. I’m getting all these text messages, trying to figure out everything. Everyone’s asking me what happened too, and I still have no idea.”

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Condie said he heard what happened to Carriere via social media.

“I used to live in B.C. and Alberta, and I just came back this summer. I didn’t get a chance to see him. We were always talking about it, and I guess now I can’t.”

Condie added that “from what I know, he really wasn’t with the wrong crowd.”

As for how Condie wants Carriere remembered, he said “I want everybody to remember him for being funny. He was always the jokester, whether it was something stupid or something funny, he would always be making people laugh. He wasn’t the biggest guy either, so I think that’s why he had a great personality.”

“He always smiled. He wanted to have fun.”