Killer sentenced to 15 years in 2020 South Vancouver slaying

A man who was gunned down outside of his business in South Vancouver never got the chance to meet his daughter, a court heard as his killer was sentenced.

Amin Shahin Shakur was 30 when he was fatally shot in 2020 behind Dank Mart, the store he owned and operated on Main Street Main near East 48th Avenue.

On Thursday, a B.C. Supreme Court judge handed down a 15-year prison sentence to Mohammad Abu-Sharife, nearly two months after the 43-year-old pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He was originally charged with second-degree murder. 

"It's heavy and liberating at the same time," Santana McElroy, Shakur's partner, told CTV news outside the courthouse.

Although relieved Abu-Sharife is no longer on the streets, she feels the punishment isn't severe enough.

McElroy read an emotional victim statement to the courtroom on how her life has changed since Shakur was killed. She spoke on the sleepless nights and the pain that lingers 2.5 years later.

"Nothing will bring (him) back" she said. "Seeing him in an open casket ruined me."

McElroy said that soon after his slaying, she found out she was pregnant. Months of trauma followed.

"Our daughter has a smile that lights up a room, and she didn't get it from me. Her smile is contagious like her dad," McElroy told the court. "She kisses a photo of him every night and says, 'Good night dada."

COURT FINDINGS

The Crown and defence entered a joint submission outlining an agreed statement of facts.

On July 13, 2020, the court heard that Shakur arrived at his business around 10: 30 p.m., where he parked his van and began unloading inventory.

Minutes later, according to the statement, Abu-Sharife arrived in a rented black Dodge Durango, parked, and approached Shakur, where they shook hands and bumped shoulders in a friendly way.

After six minutes, the statement of facts noted that the conversation became heated, and Abu-Sharife was animated.

"Mr. Abu-Sharife pulled a 9 mm calibre Polymer80 semi-automatic firearm from the pouch pocket at the front of his hoodie," the court document says.

Abu-Sharife fired the gun four times. The first shot was fired into Shakur's thigh and exited out of the back of his leg, another one of the shots went through his chest.

After Shakur was shot, he initially stumbled forward and ran into a fenced-off area behind the Dank Mart and into the store, while Abu-Sharife drove off.

He was later caught on security camera disposing of the gun in a commercial dumpster, according to the agreed statement of facts.

Shakur was dead before emergency services arrived at the scene. The court heard that a pathologist found multiple gunshot wounds caused his death.

Before receiving his sentence, Abu-Sharife addressed the court by reading a prepared statement on Shakurs death.

"It replays on my mind every breath I take," he said.

It remains unclear what may have motivated the deadly attack. During her analysis, Justice Janet Winteringham told the court that she does not know why Abu-Sharife became agitated that night outside of the Dank Mart, and there has been no explanation.

Abu-Sharife will now serve a 15-year sentence, minus the 65 days spent in custody since his arrest.

He will have a lifetime firearms ban.