North Edmonton shooting victim worked to stop youth violence

GaryYemane was devoted tokeepingthe city's Eritrean youth from getting involved in crime and violence.

A nurse of more than 30years, his death has left hiscommunity stunned.

On Friday evening, Yemane,63, was walking blocks away from his home on Ozerna road between 69thStreet and165th Avenue when he was shot multiple times. When police arrived, he was found dead on the sidewalk.

• Police investigating after man found dead in north Edmonton

Zedingle Ghebremusse of the Edmonton Eritrean Association has been friends with Yemanefor 30 years. They met for dinner last week.

The two talked about ways to engage their community's youth to stop influences of crime and violence.

He's selfless. He always wanted to help.- ZedingleGhebremusse

"Over the past few years we have had three losses of Eritrean youth who grew up here who were involved in negative stuff and they lost their lives," Ghebremusse said."Our conversation was about how to prevent it and how we can mobilize our community to work hard on this issue.

"He's selfless. He always wanted to help."

Yemane spent the last 30years in Edmontonworking as a nurse. At the time of his death, he was an employee at the Misericordia Community Hospital.

After Eritrea was granted independence in 1991, Yemane spent weeks buying medical books from the University of Alberta. He sent them to his home country to help civilians through aperiod of violence and instability.

He was known for using his medical expertise to help with the city's Africancommunity. Passionate about leukemia awareness, heonce held a stem cell drive and encouragedAfricans andCaribbeanto donate stem cells.

Ghebremusse saidlast summer Yemane was at a wedding when hesaved the groom's life. The man collapsed due to a problem with his heart, and Yemane did CPR until an ambulance came.

Ghebremussesaid he just hopes the person responsible for his friend'sdeath is arrested.

"I'm hoping this person comes to justice," he said."I hope there's closure for the family and the community."

Ghebremussesaid hehas no idea why his friend, awell-respected member of not only the African communitybut in Edmonton as a whole,was killed.

He saidfriends and family are concerned right now that a man who wanted to save lives is now dead.

"There is a lot of fear in our community now," Ghebremusse said. "This situation needs to be changed before it gets worse. I hope this is a wake-up call to our community."

Police are nowlooking for a black, older-model Toyota sedan, possibly a Corolla orCamry, that they believe was involved in the incident. The vehicle was seen leaving the area heading south onOzernaRoad.

The driver the lone occupant of the car is described as an "East Indian" man in his late 20s to early 30s, with short dark hair, about 5'8" to 5'10" and weighing between 180 and 200 pounds

An autopsy is scheduled for today.