I've been living right next door to an attempted murderer

[Dee]

:eek:

Ottawa Police Service - Media Room - News Releases

For Immediate Release: 19/09/2006

Update #2: Woman in serious condition after overnight assault

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday September 19, 2006, 4:45 am

(Ottawa) - The Ottawa Police Service investigators have
charged John Dennis, 42, of Ottawa, in relation to this
incident. He will be appearing in court this morning.

The charges laid are:

attempted murder
aggravated assault
forcible confinement



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday September 18, 2006, 5:50 pm

(Ottawa) - The Ottawa Police Service investigators have
arrested a 42 year old man in relation to this matter. He
is presently in custody.

Although the female sustained severe wounds, they are
considered non life-threatening injuries.

This incident was not a random attack. Both the female and
the arrested male knew each other.

The investigation continues.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday September 18, 2006, 7am

Woman in serious condition after overnight assault

(Ottawa) - At about 6am this morning, an unconscious woman
was found, near a bike path beside Britannia Park by a
cyclist. The woman was treated by paramedics and
subsequently transported to hospital. Her injuries are
life threatening.

[ponytail]

Yikes! This guy lives in your building, or near it? That's pretty frightening.

In the eighties the publisher of one of my books lived down the street, in Philly, from a fellow named Gary Heidnik. (She was a small press publisher, and it was a bad neighborhood). I only knew his first name, and ended up on a "Hi, how ya doin'?" basis with him, though we never really had what you'd call an actual conversation. He always seemed preoccupied, and we knew he was the minister of a small "church" that was reputed to be more of a social club for the mentally challenged. He had black hair and a beard; Dave and I both thought he was odd, but kinda cute.

He turned out to be a notorious serial killer who kept women chained in his basement, just a few doors down from my friend's apartment. When his case made headlines, it just blew my mind. You never know...

[Dee]

Just when I thought this building couldn't get any worse, this happens.

After returning from a very nice day in the country yesterday, I arrived on my floor to find a police officer just around the corner from my apartment door - just standing there.

My first thought was - domestic dispute - and he's waiting to see if the offender returns. So I carried on with my evening. There was at one point a knock at my door and through the peep hole I could see some guy standing there with an ID tag. I didn't connect the two events and thought it was probably just another pesky salesman or something, so I didn't bother opening the door. Now I think he was likely a reporter. No one from police services has tried to contact me for any info I might have.

Then this morning when I was leaving there was an empty chair in the hall at the same location where the police officer was yesterday. Okay, so I thought someone must have waited all night for the offender, got him, and left.

Now I find out through a news report about this awful attack on a woman (police news release posted above). I know it was the same attacker as his name is listed on the entry door list of occupants.

Please join me in praying (if you pray) that this woman recovers from her injuries.

[Dee]

Yikes! This guy lives in your building, or near it? That's pretty frightening.

Indeed he does/did Jack, in the apartment right next to mine or directly across the hall from that one. This was not a random attack - both parties knew each other - and yet, that's little consolation somehow.

If "forcible confinement" occurred in his place, I should think I would have heard something if it was the neighbour right beside me, but who can say. In any case, it's rather disturbing (to say the least).

[ponytail]

That is disturbing. I'll definitely say prayers for the woman he attacked.

[Annie's Dad]

Daniel-

Check my profile...I teach a certified Personal Protection class, (among others,) And would gladly have you go through it here for free,:D (2 days.)

Take care, my brother, stay aware!

Best/stay safe
Chris & Sher

[Dee]

Thanks Chris, but since they knew each other, he was obviously no threat to me.

However, the thought that he may have kept her confined right next door and I heard nothing, well, it's distressing to say the least. It's not a good feeling to think you've been living so close to someone this mentally unbalanced.

[Eva]

This is scary, Dee! After all you have been through in that appartement I really think you should move.

Eva

[pulmike]

I was just reading along on cruise control until I came to the part where Dee wrote that he didn't answer the door after looking out the peephole. That struck me as odd: In all my life I have never looked out my peephole to decide whether to open my front door; not even once. Then it struck me that that probably strikes most of you as odd, unsafe, etc, not the other way around. It just reminds me what a luxury it is to live in a place where you can always just open the door, even when you have no idea who knocked.

I can always go for a nighttime walk, and do. So can My Lady, even alone. I do miss the excitement of a city, but personal safety is a sort of freedom I would not easily give up.

pulmike

[DaveM]

Dee....I am truly sorry that you have such rotten luck with apartments. But there ought to be some way to capitalize on it. We already have a TV show called "What Not To Wear"--how about "Where Not To Live"?

After all, if life hands you lemons, throw them back at life until it stops, supplementing them with rocks as necessary.

[Dee]

I always "look" before I "leap" Pulmike. Too many nut jobs on the loose out there. :p Actually, in this case (as usual) I just wanted to avoid any sales or charity pitches, which frequently is the case.

I'm just a little bit in shock is all. It's not that Ottawa doesn't have its share of murders, just they don't usually happen this close to home. Mine is a pretty safe neighbourhood actually. There's even a satellite police station right next door.

Right now the woman is in a medically-induced coma. I hope she comes out of it okay. :(

I'll get over this once I process it all, but I just can't harden my heart or pretend not care.

[Annie's Dad]

Daniel-

I'm happy you're safe. The offer stands though, anytime!

Sher and I live in what one could consider a "safe neighborhood," but as I say when I teach my class, "...Bad things can and do happen to good, law-abiding people, anywhere at anytime."

This is why I close every post with....

Best/stay safe
Chris & Sher

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

Dee, Dee, Dee...

It's becoming obvious that when Fred Rogers sang about " A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD" he wasn't singing about your area.... :(

Best wishes

R. from pa

R.I.P Fred Rogers

[Dee]

Please join me in praying (if you pray) that this woman recovers from her injuries.

[Eva]

I will hope and wish that she will recover Dee. And I also hope and wish that when she will resume her life again that she will be able to cope with such a traumatic thing as someone trying to murder her. It's too awful to even think about... The poor woman.

Eva

[Dee]

Thank you, Eva.

I think I'm getting over the shock now. Unfortunately, I'm beginning to enter the landscape of the worst of human beings - you know, that place where you wonder if some people's hearts and heads are made of stone.

If the woman pulls through this, the road to recovery will be long and difficult, no question.

[mixtymotions]

I know how you feel dee, I really do. I once lived in what was considered an up-scale apartment complex, and the woman directly across from me had her throat slashed by her husband and died in her apartment. No one heard a thing; no arguement, no breaking furniture, no screams, nothing. There were 8 units in my building, and the apartment manager offered to move everyone into another apartment within the complex or break our leases without penalty. Guess which option most of us chose? I will say a prayer for your neighbor's safe recovery, and also add an additional prayer that she be protected against dangerous people in the future. I'd suggest that you begin seeking alternate housing, dee....as it seems this was your third warning sign....and I want you to be SAFE and DRY and enjoying SILENCE when you want it.

[Dee]

Just got an update on the woman's condition on the six o'clock news. She is still in the induced coma of course, but is now in stable condition. She’s 24 years old.

My neighbour was the attacker Mixty, not the victim. The news report also reported that her parents said she'd left home the night before to visit an ex-boyfriend. If this was the ex, she should have kept her distance I'd say.

This is not a regular occurrence around here. It just happened that it was in uncomfortable proximity, although I am planning to move elsewhere anyway once my lease is up in February. Mainly due to the property management being such utterly unprofessional dunderheads. :p

[Oak Kitten]

Sending my best wishes for her recovery, how horrible!

Oak

[mixtymotions]

Yes, your neighbor was the attacker, and my neighbors were both the victim and the murderer, so maybe I don't know how you feel after all. Just glad to hear you plan to move when your lease obligation is complete.

[snakegrl]

Wow Dee, I'm sorry to hear about all that.
I would definitely smudge the place.
You may want to reconsider Annie's Dad's suggestion, just to be practical.
I taught my sweetie a few very basic strikes for both our sakes.
I think most every woman should take a self- defence course, practice what they've learned, and keep a shotgun in the house, loaded of course.
My thoughts are with that woman.

And, I with Mixty on this. Get the hell out of Dodge.

[hoops]

dang dee, i'm sorry to hear that, glad they got the guy tho. and glad you are safe
peace
hoops

[SongDragon]

I pray and hope that the woman will be alright and recover soon.

~Song

[DaveM]

It may well be that with the "bad egg" removed, the entire building will cool down considerably. At least, I once experienced that, after the three drug dealers who lived across the hall were busted. Place was a joy to live in after that.

Quite agree with Snakegrl, incidentally. The slide on a pump shotgun is the next best thing to an international phrase for "get the hell away from me!" and it tends to be understood instinctively. In something like 90% of the incidents in which people defend themselves with firearms, no shots are ever fired.

[RedjackRyan]

Daniel you do have some horrible luck with apartments, glad you are dealing with it so well though. please keep us updated on this woman's progress.

[Dee]

Thanks everyone for your concerns, but I feel no sense of personal danger living here. I was freaked when I began this thread yesterday. I should have given it a different opening sentence because I have obviously given a wrong impression on my building’s level of safety. I normally feel comfortable here (except for the indoor rain showers).

I have a higher than normal sensitivity to my surroundings, indoors and out. I never put myself in precarious or questionable situations, and am more than capable of defending myself should the need arise. Random acts of violence are beyond our control. The best anyone can hope for is that it won’t happen to them.

Ottawa Police say the attack of a woman near Britannia Park was not a random assault.

This was clearly something personal gone wrong. The accused is in jail and will not be coming back even if he could since he now has a criminal record. Everyone who rents here is required to pass a criminal background check.

My decision to move out was made months ago due to poor property management. This incident has no bearing on that.

I’ll post any update on the woman’s condition as soon as I know anything more.

[snakegrl]

It may well be that with the "bad egg" removed, the entire building will cool down considerably. At least, I once experienced that, after the three drug dealers who lived across the hall were busted. Place was a joy to live in after that.

Quite agree with Snakegrl, incidentally. The slide on a pump shotgun is the next best thing to an international phrase for "get the hell away from me!" and it tends to be understood instinctively. In something like 90% of the incidents in which people defend themselves with firearms, no shots are ever fired.

You betcha Dave. That sound has the effect of a rattlesnake's warning. And I would much rather end the conflict with only a warning, but sometimes you can't. A saw-off shotgun is, I think, the best home defense: the spray covers a lot of ground. You don't have to have particuarly great aim. Fear, darkness and being jerked out of sleep are factors you will deal with when confronted with a home invasion.
Forget mace, it's too easily averted and your target area is limited.
Best to get a high- voltage stun-gun and zap 'em till they don't get up.
Sorry Dee, got carried away on your thread. As you can see I feel strongly about this.
Keep us posted on the woman's condition.

[aabram]

O heck.....Really hope you can get out of there soon. Not a good place for a Rudie, particularly a nice one like you

[Dee]

SG,

I'm Canadian. I don't do guns. (And frankly I'd prefer you keep them on your side of our shared border.) Guns are nothing but a recipe for disaster. Apologizing for hijacking a thread is rather meaningless after the fact. Making light of someone’s misery is just incomprehensible.

Don't worry Aabram. All is not as bleak as it seems. In fact, it's a very good mix of cultures in my neighbourhood and my building. One isolated incident is nothing to panic about.

[Dee]

Ex-boyfriend charged in bike path slashing (http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=8a0c65fd-9ff3-45bc-b136-c18341c34969&k=22817)

Woman still in coma after Britannia attack

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

A man accused of slashing the throat of his 44-year-old ex-girlfriend and leaving her for dead along a Britannia Park bike path made a brief court appearance on an attempted murder charge yesterday.

Wearing blue prison-issued coveralls, John Dennis appeared confused as he scanned the courtroom during the short hearing on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and forcible confinement following a Monday attack on Karen Parker.

With thinning salt-and-pepper hair, Mr. Dennis wore large, thick, round glasses and didn't speak during the hearing. He was remanded into custody pending a Friday bail hearing.

Ms. Parker, a Kanata massage technician, remained in an induced coma at the Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus yesterday after being found lying near the Britannia Beach bike path by a cyclist at about 6 a.m. Monday.

Hours later, police arrested Mr. Dennis, 42, at his Woodridge Crescent apartment where officers executed a search warrant yesterday.

Ms. Parker's relatives told the Citizen she had known Mr. Dennis since high school. According to her family, the two had drifted apart until a chance encounter at a Bells Corners bank a year-and-a-half ago.

They started dating, but had broken up more than three months ago. However, Ms. Parker had told her mother she planned to visit Mr. Dennis on Sunday night.

The next morning, the part-time cake decorator at a Kanata Loblaws was found semi-conscious and clinging to life. Her car, a 2007 Honda Fit, was parked in a lot a few metres away.

The former Algonquin College student had been looking forward to starting a new job at The Spa on Robertson Road on the day of the attack.

It's believed Ms. Parker, who did not have any defensive wounds, likely didn't see her attacker coming and had her throat slashed from behind.

Due to the severity of her injuries, she will not likely be able to speak to investigators for at least a week, her family said yesterday.
________

Again, for those of you who pray or chant or what have you, please join me in praying Karen Parker comes through this as best she can.

[david uk]

well said Dee, guns are a recipe for disaster indeed.

In the UK private gun ownership is tightly regulated (as in almost forbidden). I live in Nottingham, often quoted as the gun crime capital of the UK, but I have never seen a gun or heard a gunshot.

In London I worked in one of the worst crime ridden areas. In 4 years there the worst I had to do was to urge my team to be careful one day when walking down the road.

Imagine if all those people had guns legally..... yikes!! thank goodness they can't.

Sorry Dee to contribute to the hijacking of your thread.

Guns are never the answer to anything, let's all instead pray for the woman concerned at the start of your thread.

peace to all xxx

[Dee]

Violence against women (well anyone) is a serious topic to me. Maybe because as a Gay person I've been on the receiving end of violence myself throughout my life. This was never intended to be about me or where I live. Guess I should have known not to post this in The Zoo. It's madness in here. LOL

[snakegrl]

:confused: Whoa there Dee. I was in no way making light of anything. I take that woman's situation VERY seriously. Why do you think otherwise?
Some people are ok about guns and some aren't. That is our choice.
I don't berate anyone for whichever one they chose.

[Dee]

O lordy lordy. Check your PMs SG.

[Rickster]

Brother Dee, Oh brother...just when you thought you moved into a nice place...right?

[DaveM]

I can't imagine anything equally the deterrent effect of the sight and sound of a sawed-off shotgun (well, sawed off to an 18.5 inch barrel in keeping with U.S. regulations, not that criminals find any problem with the law). Mind, a reasonable substitute is a one pound can of Mace--"bear spray"--which has a range of 30 feet and sprays in a large circular pattern. Effective against multiple targets and you're not likely to run out before an assailant is incapacitated unless he's wearing a gas mask.

Mind, some of the most crime-riddled areas of the United States (New York and California come to mind) not only impose major restrictions on firearms ownership, but also forbid the ownership of Mace by private citizens. Of course, in parts of New York, one cannot legally purchase a slingshot, and baseball bats are marked with serial numbers.

For these folks, a big can of oven cleaner is a reasonable substitute.

[Dee]

Brother Dee, Oh brother...just when you thought you moved into a nice place...right?

All is not as bad as it seems, Rickster. In fact, it's a nice mix of friendly decent people in my building, even if the landlords are rather unprofessional.

This was just a freak isolated incident. Or is that an incident of an isolated freak? It's impossible to tell sometimes. ;)

[aabram]

SG,

I'm Canadian. I don't do guns. (And frankly I'd prefer you keep them on your side of our shared border.) Guns are nothing but a recipe for disaster.

Well there aren't any guns over HERE (Edinburgh) luckily,and David, how remiss of you to hijack Dee's thread!
When you're miserable, Dee, we're ALL miserable, but you raise some valid points.


SG,
Don't worry Aabram. All is not as bleak as it seems. In fact, it's a very good mix of cultures in my neighbourhood and my building. One isolated incident is nothing to panic about.

Dee, my brother used in his school days, to be in the first team at his Public School, Oundle. A crack shot at his sport. They shot targets at Bisley, the well known Gun Club. Unfortunately, when we moved to Scotland, he shot Red Deer Stags, and fished for Salmon. I say unfortunately, because that is PROBABLY what drove me to join Advocates For Animals 6 months ago as I hated all that. Seal culling goes on in Scotland too, you know. I cannot envisage a shooting here, and if I did witness one, I WOULD panic.... lol

[Dee]

Police hunting for suspect in fatal shooting (http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2006/09/20/1867123-sun.html)

A 20-year-old Ottawa man is wanted in connection with the shooting at an east-end mall parking lot early Tuesday that left a woman dead and another man seriously wounded.

Police are looking for Hasibullah Sadiqi, of Ottawa, who is considered armed and dangerous. He drives a grey two-door, 1992 Mazda 323.

After hearing the gunfire, startled residents rushed to the dark-coloured Honda, which was in the parking lot beside Loblaws at Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre. Seconds later, just before 1 a.m., cops roared into the parking lot and paramedics began treating the two shot occupants of the car.

Khatera Sadiqi, 20, who was in the driver's seat suffered a gunshot to her head and was pronounced dead at the scene. Feroz Mangal, 23, who was in the passenger seat was shot about four times and was virtually lifeless, but paramedics were able to bring back his pulse en route to hospital. Family members said the pair were engaged to be married.

Mangal, who was shot in his neck, torso and thigh, remained in serious condition yesterday.

It's believed the shots came from outside the passenger side of the Honda.

Richard Vega, 15, was still up at that hour doing homework in a bedroom of his family's home on Othello Ave., directly across from the crime scene.

"I heard about four to six gunshots, then I heard one woman scream," he said. "When I looked outside, it was all done."

The teen's father, 38-year-old Ricardo Vega, said his family just moved to the house two weeks ago.

The sound of gunfire was still lodged in the minds of many neighbours of the shopping centre yesterday afternoon.

"I'm just shaking," Greg McNally, 50, said. "It's just too close to home."

Marla Nadler-Stenbring said she heard sharp bangs around the time of the shooting, but she didn't learn until later that there was a killing just blocks from her home.

"What I heard sounded like fireworks," the 48-year-old woman said.

The flashing emergency lights kept Mona Lanctot awake all night. She heard four quick gunshots, then a momentary pause, followed by a fifth shot.

"You're just not sure at first what it was," Lanctot said.

Meisha Casey, 18, said she saw a white car pull up to the Honda and speed out of the parking lot after the shooting.

"The car went really fast around the corner," Casey said. "We called the cops."

Other witnesses saw a red car take off down Othello Ave.

Police combed the area on their hands and knees looking for clues. Investigators covered the Honda in yellow tarps.

Shattered glass was scattered on the ground and the passenger side door had a bullet hole. Police also taped off a delivery alley behind the plaza.

After searching through a garbage bin near the parking lot, police found and seized a cell phone.

__________________

Now I hear on the news that friends are suggesting this was an "honour killing" because the two victims were Afghanis living together before marriage. Murder is more honourable to a family than two people in love living together? There is something terribly horribly wrong with this picture. :(

[hoops]

yes there is something terribly wrong...
peace
hoops

[DaveM]

Something is indeed terribly wrong when a person determined to commit murder can acquire a weapon apparently without difficulty while his victim almost certainly would have been unable to take any steps to defend herself legally.

[Dee]

Yes Noel, and this pretty much sums what it is:

Human Rights Watch defines "honor killings" as follows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_killing):

Honor crimes are acts of violence, usually murder, [mostly] committed by male family members [predominantly] against female [relatives], who are perceived to have brought dishonor upon the family. A woman can be targeted by (individuals within) her family for a variety of reasons, including: refusing to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of a sexual assault, seeking a divorce — even from an abusive husband — or (allegedly) committing adultery. The mere perception that a woman has behaved in a specific way to "dishonor" her family, is sufficient to trigger an attack.

For example, honor killings can sometimes target those who choose boyfriends, lovers or spouses outside of their family's ethnic and/or religious community. Some women who adopt the customs (or religion) of an outside group, may also be more likely to be victims.

Furthermore, in certain cultures a raped single woman will garner no bride price if she marries, and thus be considered "worthless" to the family. There is some evidence that homosexuality can also be grounds for honor killing by relatives. Several cases have been suspected but not confirmed. There is also a documented case of a gay Jordanian man who was shot (but not fatally) by his brother.

Many hold the practice to be self-contradictory, since an honor killing is sometimes justified by its participants or supporters, as an attempt to uphold the morals of a religion or a code, which at the same time generally forbids killing as morally wrong.

[ponytail]

The only murder that's taken place in the small town where I live was that of a woman about to be re-married, killed by her first husband. His background supposedly didn't demand this kind of "honor" -- but the "women are property" mentality, unfortunately, is pretty common here too.

[hoops]

what about the freakin love? dang, i don't give two hangs about myself but this is just...well...something is wrong. i know these philosophies of which you all speak, i've heard it before and too a small degree have seen it. I wonder what sick twisted individual thought to him or herself "Hey this would make God really happy if we just pounded the living out of people who we think are doing something wrong, Or just aren't doing what I want and think is right" where the heck dies a traine of thought like this come from. I've lived with severely mentally ill people, who have more respect for human decency then this. let me stop
peace
hoops

[DaveM]

Hoops--virtually ALL of the "mentally ill" people I have known over the years have more sense, and more regard for human life than "sane" people I encounter every day. Which makes me wonder at times what the criteria for "sanity" are, and if perhaps they should be reexamined.

[ponytail]

I'm with Dave, Hoops. My own attitude is that I qualify as "mentally ill" only because I'm not rich. If I were rich, I'd just be "eccentric." :rolleyes:

Sorry to continue hijacking the thread, Dee...