TORONTO -- A large criminal gang operating across the Greater Toronto Area has been dismantled by police, bringing some sense of closure to a Brampton family that lost their 23-year-old son to a case of mistaken identity.
Jason Ramkishun was driving home from working as a security guard in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2018 when his vehicle, a 2014 Honda Accord, went into a ditch off Highway 410.
Police said he had been shot.
Ramkishun was rushed to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Police had previously said the 23-year-old was only shot because he happened to be driving the same type of vehicle as the intended target.
‘Very difficult investigation’
On Friday morning, investigators announced charges in Ramkishun’s death as part of a 14-month-long investigation into a criminal gang operating primarily in Peel region, as well as the discovery of who the intended target was.
In total, 15 people, who all allegedly have ties to criminal gun and gang activity, have been charged with a total of 115 charges.
Insp. Marty Ottaway, the head of Peel Regional Police’s homicide and missing persons bureau, detailed the lengthy investigation at a news conference held on Friday morning alongside the service’s Police Chief, Nishan Duraiappah.
Ottaway said there was an altercation between multiple people on Delmonte Crescent in Mississauga three days before Ramkishun was shot to death.
“During this altercation, 24-year-old Travon Edwards-Bryan was armed with a firearm and fired numerous rounds at a male victim,” the inspector said. “The victim fled in his 2013 Honda Accord without sustaining any injuries.”
Edwards-Bryan was arrested and charged with attempted murder and numerous firearm offences in December 2018.
The shooting on Delmonte Crescent led to what happened next, police said.
Three days after that shooting, a vehicle pulled up beside Ramkishun’s car on the highway and a suspect opened fire, killing the 23-year-old.
Then, a week after Ramkishun was shot to death, the victim of the Delmonte Crescent shooting was struck by gunfire while driving his vehicle on Highway 410, near Derry Road.
He was able to drive himself to hospital and has since recovered from his physical injuries.
“Ramkishun and the victim of the shooting on Delmonte Crescent drove the same type of vehicle,” Ottaway said.
Search warrants lead to arrests in shootings
On Friday, Ottaway said that a number of search warrants executed across the Greater Toronto Area on Tuesday led to arrests in the three shooting incidents.
Police previously offered a $25,000 reward in the case, but, on Friday, said that did not lead to any information so it was not handed out.
Adrian Williams, 25, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Highway 410 shooting that left Ramkishun dead and is facing a charge of attempted murder in connection with the second Highway 410 shooting.
Akeem Williams, 28, has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the second Highway 410 shooting.
The men are brothers and both are of no fixed address, but have “ties” across the Greater Toronto Area, primarily in Peel region. As well, police said, the men are friends with Edwards-Bryan and were all operating in the same criminal gang.
Ottaway detailed some of the other dozen people charged in the investigation while standing in front of a large table with several firearms on it.
“A number of firearms were seized during the course of the investigation, including a .45 calibre handgun, two .40 calibre handguns, five 9 mm handguns, and a .22 calibre Mossberg assault rifle,” he said.
Furthemore, Ottaway added that officers seized a Taurus semi-automatic .45 calibre handgun during an investigation of a vehicle in Mississauga in August 2019.
“It has been established that this firearm was the one used in the homicide of Ramkishun and was one of the two firearms used in the second 410 shooting in Brampton.”
‘It’s not going to bring Jason back’
While the Ramkishun family is “very appreciative” for the police work that led to these arrests being made, Ottaway said, “this doesn’t bring closure to them.”
“They wanted me to remind everyone that Ramkishun had a passion for law enforcement and he was focused on achieving that goal in being able to serve and protect the community himself,” he said.
“They are still going to be facing a long road ahead of them. It’s a very difficult loss they are dealing with.”
Police anticipate laying more charges
While more than a dozen people are in custody thus far and more than a hundred charges have been laid in this investigation, police said, “it’s still ongoing.”
On Friday, police said they anticipate to lay additional charges in the case while releasing images of an additional suspect still at large.
Jarrett Phillips, of no fixed address, has been associated with the firearm that was used in both shootings on Highway 410, police allege.
He is wanted on “numerous firearm related offences,” investigators said.
“It should be noted that he is not involved in the homicide or the other attempted murder investigation.”
Investigators said they are urging Phillips to seek legal counsel and then turn himself into officials.
Anyone with further information regarding this investigation is asked to contact police at 905-453-2121, ext. 3205 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
