Police lay manslaughter, aggravated assault charges in highrise death

Ottawa police have charged a 29-year-old man in connection with the death of 19-year-old Ahmad Afrah, who fell to his death from a highrise building on MacLaren Street earlier this week.

• 'My only brother, gone': Family mourns homicide victim

Liban Gureis facing one count of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday. Police are investigating Afrah's death asthe city's third homicide of the year.

On Wednesday,a grief-stricken Ali Afrah told CBC News he was in disbelief about what had happened to his older brother.

"I thought it was just a dream," saidAli, who does not knowGure.

His brother's body was found on the ground below 415 MacLaren St. on Monday just before 11 p.m. after police received a 911 call.

Gurehas prior convictions for theft, unlawful possession of a credit card, and unlawful obstruction of a police officer from 2016 and a theft conviction from 2014, according to court records.

"It appeared he had fallen or jumped off the building ... and now we're in the process of a homicide investigation," Ottawa police spokesman Const. Marc Soucy said.

AhmadAfrahlived with his familyin an apartment complex justa few streets away from where hisbody was discovered. According to family, his funeral will be held Friday.