Editor’s note: This story contains graphic details that some readers may find disturbing.
Three people have been charged in a homicide that happened nearly three years ago at an apartment complex on Con Road in Yellowknife.
RCMP announced Wednesday that the Major Crimes Unit has charged Salim Sheikh, 24, of Edmonton, Synthea Hope, 34, of Fort SImpson and an unnamed 20-year-old male with manslaughter with a firearm in relation to the death of Feysal Farrah at the Aurora Pointe complex back in August 2022.
The charges were laid on May 27, according to police, with Sheikh being arrested in Edmonton on June 3. He remains in custody and is due to appear in court in Yellowknife on June 25. Hope was arrested on Tuesday in the NWT and was due to appear in court today.
The 20-year-old has not yet been located, but police state that a warrant has been issued for his arrest. He can not be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act as he was under the age of 18 when he allegedly committed the offence he's been charged with.
Shortly after the incident took place, an eyewitness came forward and spoke with NNSL Media about what they saw.
The witness said they gave police a first-hand account of what they told officers.
“I heard a gunshot. I could hear a child screaming and crying,” the witness recalled. “I started banging on the door. Right when I was looking at my hand to bang on the door again, a second shot went off. I heard someone hit the ground. A girl opened the door and the shooter and an Indigenous guy came out. I held them in the door.”
The witness then called 911 to report what had happened.
“It took the RCMP about nine minutes to get there, almost 10 minutes," the witness said. "I asked on the phone for permission if I could touch the victim and (the dispatcher) said yes. (The dispatcher) said, ‘Can you do chest compressions?’ I said, ‘I think it’s past that point.’ (The victim) looked right at me and he’s holding my hand and I said, ‘Hey, man, everything’s gonna be OK.’ And he looked right at me, took his last breath, and then died.”
The RCMP release added that it recognizes homicide investigations can be stressful for families of victims and that they thank the Farrah family for their patience during this time.
