By Canadian Press

No defence from suspect on trial in Edmonton police officer stabbing

Oct 23, 2019 | 11:56 AM

EDMONTON — The trial for a man accused of stabbing an Edmonton police officer and striking four pedestrians with a van is coming to an end.

Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Wheaton said Monday that she and her colleague have called all of their witnesses at the jury trial for Abdulahi Hasan Sharif.

“That is the case for the Crown, sir,” she told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Paul Belzil.

Sharif, who is in his early 30s, has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges, which include five counts of attempted murder.

He is accused of first running down and stabbing a police officer outside an Edmonton Eskimos football game before striking four pedestrians with a cube van a few hours later.

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Belzil asked Sharif, who is not represented by a lawyer, whether he wished to call any evidence.

“No,” Sharif said through a Somali interpreter.

As a result, Belzil told the jury that the evidence part of the trial has concluded.

The jury heard from about 40 Crown witnesses.

They included Const. Mike Chernyk, who testified that he was on traffic duty outside the football game at Commonwealth Stadium when he was struck by the car. He next remembered a man on top of him, stabbing him in the head with a knife.

The four injured pedestrians also told their stories, which included their memories of being hit and how they coped with broken bones, anxiety and depression.

Closing arguments in the trial are to be heard on Wednesday.

Belzil said he would give instructions to the jury on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2019.

Colette Derworiz, The Canadian Press