What Happened to Sharif Rahman?
It’s been over two months since the popular Owen Sound restaurateur died as a result of a serious assault at his business.
It’s been over two months since the assault at The Curry House that claimed the life of 44-year-old restaurateur Sharif Rahman.
Shortly after 9:00pm, in the 900 block of 2nd Avenue East in downtown Owen Sound, Sharif was assaulted in an altercation with three Caucasian males after they disputed their bill.
Inexplicably, they seem to have disappeared without a trace.
Sharif lay in hospital over the next week as the community collectively held our breath and hoped for his full recovery. That was not to be, and he passed away August 24 – the same day Owen Sound Police released a few photos of two suspects running away, and a car fleeing the scene.
Sharif and his wife, Shayela Nasrin, moved to Canada from Bangladesh about 10 years ago. They settled and built a life here, had a daughter, and became engaged community members.
Sharif served for a time on the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce board of directors, utilized the YMCA Employment Services program to offer job opportunities, and participated in activities welcoming newcomers to Owen Sound and Grey Bruce. He was the first restauranteur to volunteer for Fuelling the Frontline in the early days of the pandemic, a community program that provided sponsored meals to healthcare workers. He sought out opportunities to donate meals to local charities and non-profit organizations.
His death brought an outpouring of grief from family, friends, and acquaintances in Bangladesh and London.
By all accounts, Sharif Rahman was a good man. What happened to him?
The community’s shock and grief were on full display for a brief time as community members organized a GoFundMe for the family, silent walks in the downtown core, and an honour guard for Sharif’s funeral procession.
Owen Sound Police Services published three media releases sharing sparse details and seeking information before announcing August 26 that the Grey Bruce Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would assist Owen Sound Police Service (OSPS) with the homicide investigation.
The City of Owen Sound put out an underwhelming media release August 30 that stated the assault had occurred in “the heart of our City, the River District,” and offered vague action steps. The first of those was this: “Mayor Boddy will be asking the City Manager to work with Owen Sound Police Services and Staff to report back to Council as soon as possible with a plan to bring more technology into the River District through the installation and use of additional closed-circuit cameras.”
It’s been nearly two months, and there’s no sign of increased surveillance in the downtown core.
Another action item promised in August was this: “Mayor Boddy will also request the City Manager to identify options and opportunities for additional exterior lighting in designated areas and improved vegetation clearing along the riverbank.”
Clearing vegetation along the riverbank? It’s unclear what connection that might have with crime prevention. One has to wonder if it was an outstanding item on someone’s wish list that found enough backing to overrule any environmental concerns in light of the murder investigation.
While staff continue to consult with police on potential camera locations and other work(s) associated with the Mayor’s statement, that report has not yet come back to council.
We’ve heard no further updates from the City since that August 30th press release.
There has never been a press conference called by police or the Mayor to keep Sharif’s case and the need for information in the news cycle.
A reward fund put together by community members and businesses was rebuffed by police.
The last update from the Owen Sound Police Service came out September 29, and offered no new information or suspect photos. It contained the same appeal to submit tips to police, and Crime Stoppers and promised that OPP and OSPS continue to investigate all tips.
Our request to Owen Sound Police Services for an update on the case was redirected to Grey Bruce OPP.
That request of OPP, alongside questions including, “Can you share the criteria by which or period of time after which you consider offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of his killers?” have gone unanswered.
In the meantime, rumours run rampant about who his killers may be and why we’ve not yet seen an arrest.
In the absence of fact, myth rushes in.
But misinformation isn’t the only reason public engagement in Sharif’s investigation should be facilitated, not discouraged.
We’re asked to trust in the system; to trust in the police process of investigation. By and large, we do that. And yet, every year, hundreds of murders go unsolved in this country.
The average homicide clearance rate in Canada is 67%, and the average time to solve a homicide is 36 days, according to data released by Calgary Police and documented by the Calgary Herald in 2023.
In reality, police investigative processes are not infallible, and clearance rates are even lower for victims of colour. Statistics Canada data released in 2022 shows that 52% of homicides involving a racialized victim were solved within 100 days, compared to 68% for white victims.
You can trust in the police and also ask for accountability. We can acknowledge that officers are doing their best while examining outcomes to find improvement opportunities. Everyone involved can have the best intentions and still not achieve the desired outcome. All of these things can be true at the same time.
Did any procedural barriers, communications issues, or resource constraints stand in the way of timely video evidence collection?
Were there missed opportunities to gather evidence during the week Sharif lay in hospital, before it became a homicide investigation?
When is it time to ask questions and expect an honest, open discussion about this crime and the subsequent investigation?
Whether this was race-motivated or a dine-and-dash gone wrong, we don't need to await arrests to discuss how to prevent another family from being senselessly robbed of a loved one. We don't need to compromise the police investigation to honour Sharif and his memory by coming together as a community. We did that the day of his funeral, but it's been silent ever since.
Sharif Rahman was killed at work, running his business, in our downtown. It's not enough to say, "They must have been from somewhere else," like this isn't our problem.
He lived and worked in Owen Sound. He was part of the community in Owen Sound. He was assaulted and killed in Owen Sound, and now, over two months have quietly passed – long past that average national homicide clearance rate of 36 days.
We’re closing in on that 100 days in which 52% of homicides of a racialized victim, as Sharif was, are solved. It’s been 64 days since Sharif’s death, and 71 days since his assault.
How long do we quietly wait and trust in an imperfect system, blindly hoping for the right outcome?
What should we expect from our leaders and elected representatives at this point, both in regards to this specific investigation and the public safety deficiencies it has highlighted?
This author doesn’t have those answers. But there are many questions surrounding the death of Sharif Rahman that deserve answers, and while the clock is ticking, those in position to answer remain silent.
Anyone with information that could assist in the Sharif Rahman homicide investigation should call Owen Sound Police Service at 519-376-1234. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a tip online at https://crimestop-gb.org/. You may be eligible for a reward from Crime Stoppers of up to $2,000.
Excellent article!
Thank you for bringing this into the light.