Starting next week on March 15th and running until May 7th, a high profile second degree murder trial will be taking place at the Winnipeg law courts, against the accused, Jeffrey Cansanay who was charged with 2nd degree murder in the October 10th, 2005 fatal shooting near Sargeant and Maryland. He is also charged with attempted murder in the relation to an injured second victim named Abass Jalloh, who was walking with Haiart and was also hit by stray gunfire. He survived an arm injury. 17 year old Phil Haiart, an innocent bystander, was shot in the stomach and was caught in between the dispute of two rival Winnipeg gangs. The two intended targets of the shooting managed to escape unharmed. It is alleged that Jeffrey Cansanay is the shooter.
Haiart's killing left a substantial mark on the city, tearing apart the perception that innocent people are immune from the gang violence that has plagued the city in recent years.
Haiart was caught inbetween cross fire and was shot as he walked through an empty video store parking lot on the way back to his nearby apartment. After being shot, he staggered down the street and collapsed in front of a pizza shop.
Efforts to save his life failed and he was pronounced dead at the hospital several hours later.
Police said at the time that members of the feuding Mad Cowz and African Mafia street gangs- who had broken apart months earlier due to one gang selling drugs on the others' "turf"- were trading shots on the street following a previously unreported shooting the night before the killing.
Haiart was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Family and friends of the young man said that his death was a "call to arms" for a city that had been taken over by thugs and gangsters.
"Operation Cleen Sweep" was launched weeks later with a major emphasis on cleaning up the downtown and West End of gangs and drug dealers.
Many businesses and residents reported significant improvementsand lobbied the city to continue the effort full time. This has now been done through the creation of a specialized unit.
This will definitely be a very interesting trial and if you have free time, I think it would be worthwhile to observe.
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