Tragedy In Safe Haven: Two slain in city had fled war in Sudan:
EDMONTON - Two young men killed in Tuesday night's shooting were Sudanese refugees whose families came to Canada hoping to escape guns and violence.The problem is that Edmonton was a great haven from all of this violence. What happened to end such a peaceful reign was the influx of this "community" that Deng was a member of.
"I brought (him) here for safety, and it has turned now to tragedy for me," said Atem Bulgak, father of 22-year-old Deng Atem Bulgak. "The bullet that we fled back home is the one that took him in Canada."
The second victim was identified by members of the local Sudanese community as 24-year-old Jock Ring. His Canadian relatives were on their way to Edmonton on Wednesday evening.Witnesses say several gunshots were fired behind a duplex at 134th Avenue and 82nd Street at about 10 p.m. Tuesday.
Ring was found in the front seat of a bullet-riddled car in the alley.
Atem Bulgak arrived home from work to see his son lying in his backyard. "I saw him just down in the backyard and full of blood. Unconscious," he said.
"We were not even allowed by the police to go near him."
Both victims were rushed to hospital, where one was pronounced dead on arrival. The second died during emergency surgery.
On Wednesday evening, police were still searching for a silver pickup truck that drove away after the shooting with two men inside.
Bulgak, 50, said he and his wife fled civil war in southern Sudan more than 20 years ago. Deng, his eldest son, was born in an Ethiopian refugee camp. In 1992, when Ethiopia became too dangerous, the family fled to Kenya.
They started the process of coming to Canada in 1996.
The family of eight arrived in Saskatchewan in 1999 and later moved to Edmonton to find better jobs.
Deng went to Archbishop O'Leary high school, his father said. He didn't graduate, but was planning to go back to finish and then go to college to study computer science.
"Deng wasn't a fighter. He was the last person to join the fight," said his cousin, Anyar Ngang.
"The boy is a very good boy. Very clever, very lovely," said his uncle, Manas Ngongjock. "He participated a lot in our community."
If you don't believe, look no further than this article reminding us that in 1997 large numbers of Sudanese, 3000 or so, showed up on our doorsteps. But they didn't come alone. In what is now standard immigration operating procedure, they brought their pre-existing problems with them, and delivered them en masse to us.
This article also brings forth an interesting note: Thomas Orak's shooting was brought up. Looks like I was right after all about there being gang links EPS either doesn't know about or isn't saying. (Also of note, the Journal has apparently quit totally whitewashing the event)
Bonus feature: This blog has already examined this problem vis a vis the Vietnamese gang problem.
