'I was in shock'
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Just before he was shot early Saturday afternoon, Brantford’s Nebiyu Myers headed for the door of a friend’s apartment saying: “That’s for me.”
Myers, 19, had been watching TV with David Thompson, 60, who has lived in the upper portion of an Alfred Street home for more than four years. Thompson called the young man MJ and helped him when he could.
Thompson said Myers was on the phone and indicated that his brother was arriving to give him a ride.
There was a loud bang.
“I thought someone broke something,” Thompson said Tuesday.
Thompson said he has macular edema that causes poor eyesight. He said he opened a door and saw a person, he later reasoned was Myers, at the top of the stairs with an arm outstretched.
“Then I clued in it had been a gunshot. I closed my door as quick as possible and heard several more shots and what sounded like people running down the stairs. In retrospect, I think it was MJ falling down the stairs.
At first, Thompson thought he might be in danger but, when he heard the front door slam, he hurried to the hall.
“I looked down the stairs and saw MJ laying there and ran and got my phone and called 911,” he said.
“I was in shock.”
The police arrived quickly and whisked Thompson away to the police station for hours of questioning before turning him over to Victim Services of Brant, which placed him in a hotel.
Myer’s death is the second homicide in the city in three days. On April 14, paramedics found 20 year-old Isaiah Castillo with gunshot wounds in a townhouse complex at 77 Diana Ave. He died later in hospital.
Police have said they believe both shootings were targeted.
Thompson said he’s upset that a neighbour called his home a “drug house” in a story published in The Expositor.
“I had a friend drop by and watch TV and someone walked in and shot him,” Thompson said.
“This is not a drug house. There are no reports of the police ever visiting my house in the last 4 1/2 years. There are no charges against me. I’m an innocent victim here.”
Thompson said young people do visit his apartment, which may have led neighbours to jump to erroneous conclusions.
“These young people are like kids to me. I help them out when I can and I don’t see black, white, red or yellow. I see a person who respects me and I respect them.”
Myers was a “good kid,” said Thompson.
“But I didn’t ask a lot of questions about his family life or what he did.”
He said Myers would drop around with his girlfriend to watch TV.
“He talked about getting married one day and having kids. It’s very sad.”
Thompson said he’s still reeling from the incident.
He said it’s only been in the last month that he has recovered from serious health issues that saw him in a coma and then on a feeding tube for months.
“I had just gotten to the point where I was perfectly healthy and, a month later, this happens.”
Brantford police have released a description of a suspect in the Myers homicide and have set up a tip line to encourage people to share information or video.
They said they are looking for a “dark-skinned” man, aged 20 to 25, who is between five-foot-10 and six-foot-two and weighs between 160 and 180 pounds. He was wearing dark clothing and a black face mask.
Police are asking anyone who has surveillance video or saw people in the area of the Alfred St. house between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday to contact the investigators at 519-756-7050, ext. 2592, or send an email to myershomicide@police.brantford.on.ca.
To stay anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 519-750-8477 or 1-800-222-8477 or email: www.crimestoppersbb.com/submit-a-tip/
SGamble@postmedia.com
@EXPSGamble
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