Victims of fiery, fatal crash remembered as promising teens with bright futures
Two teenagers were on their way home from a soccer game when they were killed in a devastating collision earlier this week.
Friends have identified one of the victims as 18-year-old Samir Ali, a recent high school graduate who was about to attend UBC on a full-ride scholarship.
Ali came to Canada as a refugee five years ago and settled in Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood. His family is originally from Ethiopia and he was born in a refugee camp in Kenya. He was the oldest of eight children.
“It's very unfair that it was like the beginning of his life: just graduated high school, he won a scholarship, he was going to achieve a lot of dreams,” said friend Walid Moneeb.
He volunteered at the local RayCam community centre and was a role model to many, said Anas Adhassan.
“He was like a dynamic person who's just everywhere. You find him in the soccer team playing, find him helping in the community,” he said. “He left a great impact on us. As a Muslim community, he was a great representative for this community.”
Friends and a GoFundMe campaign have identified the second victim as Yasbirat Ytatek.
The 17-year-old and his family are also from Ethiopia.
He’s being remembered for his unshakeable passion for soccer, which was inspiring for his teammates.
“Every time I go to the soccer field, he’s up there grinding, grinding every single day, wanting to pursue his dreams in the future. He was a really good athlete,” said Jawad Fawwaz.
Friends said he’s a remarkable person on and off the pitch.
“He's a very nice kid – very kind hearted. Always generous, make people laugh. He was never someone that would cause trouble or cause harm to anyone,” said Brian Rusi.
Ytatek was about to enter his final year of high school, according to the fundraiser.
“Yasbirat was a phenomenal person and will be missed by many people. He was an amazing rugby and soccer player. He was awarded player of the month for his soccer club team in March and recently made the Burnaby District Metro Soccer Men's team, which is a big accomplishment,” the online campaign said.
The Bryne Creek rugby team is remembering the 17-year-old as a “wonderful young man with a world of potential.”
The crash that killed both teens happened Tuesday night.
Metro Vancouver Transit Police officers tried to pull over a white sedan minutes before the collision. They did not say what prompted them to attempt a traffic stop.
A witness told CTV News they saw the white sedan speeding through the intersection at 10th Avenue and 6th Street in Burnaby, just moments before the crash.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is now investigating whether there was a police pursuit and if that played a factor in the collision.
The driver and passenger in the fleeing vehicle have been released from police custody with several conditions, including a nightly curfew, according to MVTP.
They have not been formally charged and are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 29 for possible charges of prohibited driving, dangerous driving causing death and flight from police.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.