THUNDER BAY — “I’m thinking if he gets this knife, I’m dead,” said Khalid Mohamed when testifying in his defence on Wednesday at the Thunder Bay Courthouse.
Mohamed, 28, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Steven Perry Burns, 36. Burns was the victim of an alleged stabbing on Oct. 17, 2021 in the 200 block of Park Avenue.
Mohamed took the witness stand late Wednesday morning, detailing how he came to Thunder Bay in the fall of 2021 to make “life-changing” money selling drugs, which ultimately led to a fatal altercation.
Mohamed said he first came to Thunder Bay from Toronto in late September 2021 after an individual told Mohamed how he made $2 million in just two years by selling drugs in the city.
“That kind of money is life-changing,” Mohamed told the court.
So Mohamed came to Thunder Bay by bus with seven ounces of cocaine and two ounces of fentanyl and made just shy of $50,000 in one week.
Mohamed returned to Toronto and then came back to Thunder Bay on Oct. 15, 2021 with more drugs — cocaine, fentanyl and oxycodone pills. He testified Thunder Bay is so lucrative to sell drugs because drugs are harder to buy here so the price is higher.
“The amount of people buying is ridiculous,” he said, describing Thunder Bay as a hub to the surrounding communities.
When in Thunder Bay, Mohamed would set up his operation at an apartment in the Park Avenue and Cumberland Street area, paying the tenant of the apartment .1 gram of crack cocaine per hour that he ran his drug operations out of the residence.
When he returned to the city on Oct. 15, 2021, Mohamed again set up his drug operation in the same residence. He told the court he wouldn’t sleep when he was selling here in the city and would take caffeine pills to stay awake.
He also said he would keep the majority of his drugs at a “safe house” and only carry an ounce or less at a time so if he was stopped by police, the amount of drugs wouldn’t warrant serious jail time and if he was robbed, the amount was “inconsequential.”
He said he didn’t carry a weapon, that he didn’t need one, and he wanted to keep a low profile.
On Oct. 17, 2021, Burns came to the apartment on Park Avenue with two other individuals Mohamed was familiar with and Mohamed said they left the apartment but returned hours later.
The three men came into the bedroom where Mohamed was and Mohamed said he knew what was about to happen.
He noticed two of the men had weapons and Mohamed said Burns had what looked like a silver dagger in his right hand.
One of the men was beating him and Mohamed said he was trying his best to fight.
“It was a terrifying experience,” he testified. “I thought I was going to die to be honest.”
Mohamed said one of the men cut his pocket off his pants and took the drugs and money he had on him.
The three men then stopped and turned to leave the bedroom and Mohamed said he grabbed one of the men, and then Burns and one of men stomped on him.
“They beat the crap out of me,” said Mohamed.
Mohamed said one man took the gold watch off his wrist and then Burns grabbed the jewellery around his neck and ripped it off.
Collectively, the watch and three chains cost more than $10,000, said Mohamed. One of the chains was given to him by a friend who has since passed away, he said.
Mohamed said he then did “something stupid” and pursued the men.
“It was the jewellery that was really important to me,” he told the court.
Mohamed followed Burns out onto the street and through the casino before coming back out onto the street.
At one point Burns stumbled and fell onto the ground and Mohamed said he fell on top of him.
Mohamed said he was not armed but he saw Burns reaching for a knife over his left shoulder.
“At that point, I panicked,” said Mohamed. “I know for a fact he was going to use it on me.”
Mohamed said he tried his best to make sure he got the knife, trying to hit it out of Burns’ hand and grab it with his own hand.
The two men continued to struggle over the knife and Mohamed said Burns was stronger and bigger.
“I was screaming at him to let go of me,” said Mohamed.
“I did what I thought was best to stop him from getting the knife. I tried to stab him,” Mohamed told the court.
Mohamed then stabbed towards Burns again. Mohamed said Burns let go and he ran away.
“I thought he was alive. I saw him get up,” said Mohamed.
When located by police that evening, Mohamed was taken to the hospital and received stitches on his hand and ear.
Crown lawyer, Robert Kozak, began his cross-examination late Wednesday afternoon.
The trial is expected to continue Thursday.
None of the allegations against the accused have been proven in court.
