Hussam Ahmad Ismail

In the pre-dawn hours of a winter day in Calgary, Alberta, a 911 call reported a man in medical distress inside a stopped car. It was just before 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 23, 2017, and the vehicle was motionless near the intersection of 12 Avenue N.E. and Centre Street N. in the Crescent Heights neighborhood. When officers from the Calgary Police Service arrived, they found a grim scene. The man inside the red, four-door Nissan was 31-year-old Hussam Ahmad Ismail, and he had been shot to death. The car itself was riddled with bullet holes, a clear indicator of the violence that had ended his life.

An autopsy by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner quickly confirmed Hussam’s death was a homicide, the third to occur in Calgary that year. As the investigation began, detectives uncovered another disturbing element connected to the murder. They learned that a home invasion had occurred at Hussam’s residence in the 200 block of 10 Avenue N.E., a short distance from where his body was found. Investigators have stated they believe the home invasion and the shooting are linked, but they have been unable to determine if the break-in happened before or after Hussam was killed on the nearby street.

The Calgary Police Service Homicide Unit took charge of the case, believing from the outset that the attack on Hussam was not a random act of violence. Four months later, in June 2017, investigators released two key pieces of information to the public in the hopes of generating new leads. The first was a composite sketch of a man believed to have been involved in the home invasion, created based on witness descriptions. The second was a grainy CCTV image showing a dark-coloured vehicle speeding away from the area of the shooting. Despite the poor quality of the photo, police hoped it might jog someone's memory.

For five years, the investigation continued away from the public eye. Then, in June 2022, the Calgary Police Service brought Hussam's case back into the spotlight. As part of a public appeal for information on unsolved cold cases, his homicide was featured alongside the 2014 murder of Colton Crowshoe and the 2009 disappearance of Monique Mattar. The police expressed their firm belief that people in the community hold the information needed to solve these cases and bring peace to the victims' families.

“No matter how much time has passed since an incident, we remain committed to finding closure for a victim’s family,” Staff Sergeant Sean Gregson of the CPS Homicide Unit said during the appeal. “As time passes, allegiances can change and people may recall details they haven’t yet talked to police about. People may assume we are aware of certain details but we encourage anyone who has information to contact us, regardless of how insignificant they think their information is.”

The investigation into the murder of Hussam Ismail remains open and active. Police have emphasized that no file is ever truly closed until it is solved. "We know it has been tremendously difficult for the families of these victims who have continued to search for answers and we’re asking anyone with information, big or small, to come forward," Staff Sergeant Gregson stated. As of June 2022, no arrests have been made, and the questions surrounding Hussam’s violent death persist.

Anyone with information about the home invasion or shooting, or who recognizes the person in the composite sketch or the vehicle seen fleeing the scene, is urged to contact the Calgary Police Service Homicide Unit Tip Line at 403-428-8877 or the non-emergency number at 403-266-1234. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.calgarycrimestoppers.org.