‘The sweetest gentleman’: Loved ones remember Oshawa, Ont. fatal shooting victim | 24CA News
The 30-year-old sufferer of Thursday night time’s deadly taking pictures in Oshawa, Ont., is being remembered by many because the “sweetest gentleman” they knew.
The sufferer of the taking pictures, recognized as Michael Nigris, was gunned down simply outdoors of his office, Cash Connections.
On Friday morning, family members rushed to the scene to pay their respects, together with good friend Ashley Berkuta.
“He was the sweetest gentleman ever,” mentioned Berkuta, holding up an image of Nigris, in tears. “He did not deserve it; no one deses to get shot.”
Berkuta has been a daily buyer at Cash Connections for years, and mentioned Nigris at all times knew the right way to make her day pleased and vivid.
“He was the sweetest guy I knew,” she mentioned. When she caught wind of the taking pictures from different employees within the plaza, she mentioned she couldn’t consider it.
“She goes, ‘Ashley, I got some bad news,’ and I say, ‘What is it?’” Berkuta recounts. “And she goes, ‘Michael was shot, his body is still lying on the ground.’”
Berkuta mentioned she was satisfied it was a joke, and drove over to the scene moments later to witness her worst nightmare.
“When I arrived I saw a whole bunch of cruisers, the plaza was blocked off, and I saw his truck, and him, lying on the ground.”
Officers had been referred to as to a parking zone close to King Street West and Park Road in Oshawa after stories of a male sufferer being shot simply earlier than 8:30 p.m., Thursday night time. When officers arrived on scene, life-saving measures had been carried out, however the 30-year-old male sufferer succumbed to his accidents on the scene.
In a media press convention on Friday morning, Durham Regional Police confirmed that the alleged suspect fled in a automobile, which was recovered a brief distance away from the scene.
On Friday morning a number of police cruisers had been seen within the space of Dundee Park doing a large police search, which police have confirmed has been linked to the taking pictures.
“That’s current an evidence search in relation to this homicide, but I don’t have any further information on it,” mentioned Sgt. Joanne Bortoluss with Durham Regional Police.
Many clients of Cash Connections take into account Nigris, and the employees, good pals. Berkuta mentioned the store is a household owned business, “with the friendliest staff”. She would go to Nigris right here weekly, and will at all times depend on his generosity and candy character.
Berkuta isn’t the one one who will miss Nigris. Many had been dropping off flowers, candles, and roses to recollect the store worker, and their fond reminiscences of him.
For some, like good friend and frequent buyer Ashley Williams, it was to deliver them closure.
“After hearing what happened last night, I needed to offer some sort of respect for him,” mentioned Williams, lighting a candle on the entrance of Cash Connections. She considers Nigris a detailed good friend, and mentioned she has been coming to Cash Connections for a number of years.
“I pop in here almost weekly, sometimes even two or three times a week,” mentioned Williams.
Williams added that Nigris was at all times dedicated to his work, and cherished it on the retailer. “He always helped us out through the pandemic, he would find us bargains online to bring in so we could cover our bills. He was always trying to help us where he could, being a pawn shop owner,” she remembers.
Williams has been devastated by the lack of her good friend, and mentioned she doesn’t understand how one thing like this might occur.
“He was a really bright and cheerful guy. Someone who you could go up to and chat — friendly, and always willing to go out of his way to help me,” mentioned Williams.
Amid the rampant violence throughout the area, Williams mentioned the gun violence and deaths domestically are beginning to not shock her anymore, sadly. “But for it to be someone I knew, someone I was friends with … it makes it a little surreal.”
She provides that she hopes this may open up extra conversations about addressing points associated to gun violence, however is aware of it’s a longshot
“I guess maybe I’m hoping for too much if I say that I want it bring attention to the fact that we can’t keep living out in fear, with all these desperations. Something needs to be done.”
Durham Regional Police mentioned the suspect description is male, with a small construct, carrying a darkish hooded sweater and darkish pants.
The murder unit has since take over the investigation, and are asking anybody with video surveillance to succeed in out to police with any new info.
In a Facebook put up, Cash Connections introduced the lack of their worker, and famous he was a “amazing human being,” and a brother, son and proud uncle.
The put up reads, “Anyone who knew Michael knew he was a joker and loved to make people laugh”. To their clients, the put up provides that, “out of the respect to our devastated and grieving staff and family, and to the ongoing murder investigation, we just cannot open the store in any capacity at this time.”
Cash Connections suggested that after they have a schedule in place, they are going to put up it on social media, for patrons to select up and pay for his or her purchase backs, layaways and consignments.
According to the shop, a memorial has been arrange in entrance of the shop for individuals to pay their respects to Michael.
