3 men charged with 1st-degree murder in west Edmonton trades college shooting

Three men have been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a man outside a trades college in west Edmonton.

On Tuesday, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) said an autopsy confirmed the victim, 28-year-old Justin Hunt, died of multiple gunshot wounds and the medical examiner ruled the death was a homicide.

Hunt was gunned down outside the Alberta Pipe Trades College, near 161 Street and 118 Avenue, on Friday, Oct. 16 at about 8:30 a.m.

Edmonton police said its officers arrived to find Hunt suffering from life-threatening injuries, and he was pronounced dead on scene a short while later.

About 15 minutes after the shooting, RCMP in Parkland County were asked by the Edmonton Police Service for help with handling what was, at the time, a weapons complaint in west Edmonton.

Officers spotted the suspect vehicle — a dark grey BMW 325i sedan — on Highway 16 matching the description provided by EPS.

RCMP said the car was intercepted by its emergency response team about 37 kilometres west of the college, near where the Yellowhead and Highway 16A converge west of Stony Plain.

The BMW was disabled and three suspects were taken into custody. RCMP said the suspects were treated on scene for non-life-threatening injuries and then handed over to EPS.

Edmonton police homicide detectives are investigating Hunt’s death, but police said they are not currently seeking any additional suspects. They are, however, looking for video footage of a vehicle linked to the shooting.

Police are seeking dashcam or CCTV video of the suspect car, recorded between 8:15 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 16 at the following locations:

• 118 Avenue and 160 Street
• Yellowhead Trail between 170 Street and Highway 60
• Highway 60 from Yellowhead Trail to Garden Valley Road/Highway 267

Upon being seized by police, the grey BMW 325i sedan had notable damage to its rear driver fender and driver side taillight. The licence plate was attached by one screw and was hanging at an angle.

Because the suspects were injured during the arrest, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has been asked to investigate.

Independent of ASIRT’s investigation that Mounties said they are cooperating in, the RCMP said its internal review process will gather a full account of what took place. RCMP training, policy, police response, and the officer’s duty status will be subject to review, police said.

Three men are now charged in the homicide.

Wol Akuei, 21, John Morris, 20, and John Ocwalla, 19, are charged with first-degree murder and are in police custody.

Ocwalla is also facing an additional charge of accessory after the fact to murder. Police said they believe the shooting was a targeted incident.

The college is run by the United Association Local 488 chapter of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada — more commonly known as the United Association.