‘He was a great kid’: Banff residents mourn homicide victim

Banff residents are mourning the death of a man who was well loved in the community after he was killed at a bar last week.

Banff RCMP was called to a local bar on Banff Avenue around 2:26 a.m. last Friday after reports of a fight.

Mounties found an injured 26-year-old man at the scene. He was rushed to Mineral Springs Hospital where he later died from his injuries, according to an EMS spokesperson.

The victim was later identified as Ethan Enns-Goneau.

It’s the first homicide in the mountain town in more than 30 years. May 1990 marked the previous homicide in Banff.

Bunny Julius, owner of Melissa’s Missteak, said Enns-Goneau always had a smile on his face. Enns-Goneau worked at the restaurant for 13 years.

“I’m just trying to figure out how this could happen to the most non-confrontational person I know. I don’t think he’s ever been in a fight, let alone an argument,” Julius said.

“It’s just not his character… He was a great kid. If everyone could be as happy as him we wouldn’t have these issues.”

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Julius said Enns-Goneau loved being in the mountains and playing sports. Enns-Goneau is remembered as a soccer and high school rugby player.

“We had about 200 friends and family come through the back door when we were closed the other day. We opened the back door for everybody (who wanted to pay respects),” Julius said.

“We will see what the family wants to do and how they want to move forward.”

–With files from Adam Toy, Global News.