‘He tried to protect me’: Cousin and friend recount fight that led to man’s murder outside Oshawa Tim Hortons

The cousin and friend of a young man killed at a north Oshawa Tim Hortons are speaking out about the moments leading up to his death. Beth Macdonell reports.

The cousin and friend of a young man killed at a north Oshawa Tim Hortons are speaking out about the moments leading up to his death.

A family representative has identified the 23-year-old homicide victim to CTV News Toronto as Emran Yousufi.

Yousufi’s cousin, Abel Mohammadi, and their friend, Ali Abdullah, said all of them were enjoying Saturday evening inside the restaurant near Highway 407 and Simcoe Street North when five or six people showed up with loud music and wearing masks.

The group wanted to speak with Mohammadi and agreed to go outside, they said.

“The first punch of the fight was to me, and that was to my nose,” said Mohammadi, who also suffered a blow to his temple. “It automatically started bleeding.”

The violence broke out around 8 p.m. on Saturday, with the fight appearing to take place on a walkway next to the windows of the Tim Hortons.

“One of them pulled out a baton, he had like a fanny pack. They pulled out a baton and tried to hit him [Mohammadi],” said Abdullah.

“There were like five, six of them, I believe. They tried to gang up on him [Mohammadi] so he and his cousin, the deceased, tried to pull each one of them off, but it didn’t happen.”

Abdullah recounted that out of nowhere, one person from the group pulled out a knife and stabbed Yousufi.

‘He stepped up’

Nearly a week since the killing, Mohammadi and Abdullah are trying to make sense of Yousufi’s death, remembering his happy demeanour and bravery, trying to help a loved one in trouble.

“I was thinking to myself what kind of cousin I have. The person that tried to protect me. Because my cousin didn’t know them. They were trying to come after me and my cousin stepped up, he stepped up, he tried to protect me,” said Mohammadi.

Mohammadi and Abdullah said Yousufi was from Afghanistan, the youngest of four siblings, and came to Canada with his family about a year ago.

They said his parents are devastated, and his plans to become an electrical engineer have been erased.

“The dreams that he had have all been taken away. It was just one stupid mistake,” said Abdullah.

Durham Regional Police said a 16-year-old from Brampton has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

Victim didn’t know accused before fight: police

On Friday, in an email with CTV News Toronto, police said they believe the victim and the accused in this incident didn’t know one another before the fight.

“At this time, there are no other suspects outstanding. The investigation remains ongoing. Further details will be provided once available,” said Const. Nicholas Gluckstein

“At this time, we have no reason to believe there is a risk to public safety and believe this was an isolated incident. The investigation is ongoing, and if these details change, then we will make an announcement.”

To give more context he said, “the majority of members from each group may not have been known to each other prior to this altercation; however, certain members from each group may have known each other prior to, which led to the altercation.”

Mohammadi and Abdullah said they are still feeling scared.

They now want to see justice prevail and hope to see officials try the accused as an adult because they don’t want anyone else to be hurt or experience the grief that family and friends are going through.

“Everyone found jobs, they were happy, then this incident happened, which left the mom very sad, the family sad, us sad, everyone sad,” said Mohammadi.

Anyone with information or video who was in the area between 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. is asked to contact investigators.