‘Terrifying’: Consolation and concern in Kamloops queer community in wake of killing

Even before Kamloops RCMP warned the community, some who knew Muhammad “Ash” Zafar started connecting, warning each other of a potential new threat.

Police said Zafar was found dead and they are investigating it as a homicide. So far they have only made vague allusions about how. They warned about men-seeking-men dating sites Zafar may have used but that has left mostly unanswered questions. Was he killed by a date? Was he killed because of who he was dating?

It could be none of those things, but the concern alone has the community alert and staying vigilant.

“I think a lot of the queer community sees dating sites as safe spaces. It’s where community members can meet each other. It’s easier than in public, you don’t have to make a lot of assumptions. So, it’s really disheartening and scary to hear that it’s potentially being linked to a homicide. It’s terrifying,” Kamloops Pride Society president Alyssa Christianson said.

Zafar was discovered dead at his West End home during a wellness check on Jan. 5, and it was described as an isolated incident when police alerted the public of the homicide investigation.

Police changed that messaging the next day, calling for witnesses who might have spoken to Zafar through men-seeking-men dating apps, pairing it with a warning for others to take precautions when meeting people online.

Jesse Ritcey, a former pride society board member, said he recognized Zafar when his death was first announced, and he wasn’t the only one. He and others in the queer community were quick to share the news and check on each other’s safety, wondering whether he was targeted for his sexual orientation.

“Obviously, someone had the idea to call and let the police know, which is fantastic, but I would say the community didn’t wait for that messaging,” Ritcey said. “They were immediately sending it out to each other.”

While Ritcey didn’t know Zafar, he knew him from “the apps” and they were close with some of the same people. In a city of around 100,000 people, he said the queer community isn’t large.

“I would say there’s a mix of sadness, fear and anxiety, and there are some people definitely changing behaviours. Maybe they’re only talking to people who share a lot of information about themselves, avoiding blank or anonymous profiles,” Ritcey said. “There are other people who already take precautions, so they’re feeling less impacted.”

While there is worry, there haven’t been any known incidents of other gay men being targeted so far.

Alix Dolson, executive director of Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre, said there have been local cases of men targeted through dating apps, but those are frequently restricted to targeted online harassment rather than physical violence.

While it remains unclear who killed Zafar and why, Dolson also questions why police were initially quick to announce there was no risk to the public and describe his death as an isolated incident.

“It’s important for us to not assume a targeted crime is somehow putting us at risk,” she said. “The distinction is important, but I do think in this case, clearly, it was premature. Either they were not giving us the full story for a particular reason, or they spoke too soon.”

While police asked for people who spoke with Zafar through men-seeking-men dating apps to reach out, the Jan. 7 public warning was made broadly to anyone meeting new people online.

Not much is known publicly about Zafar so far, but it appears he may not have been living in Kamloops for long.

An online fundraiser, which has so far reached more than $20,000, asks for donations to support his mother and family with funeral expenses as Zafar was the primary provider.

iNFOnews.ca has reached out to the fundraiser’s organizer, but hasn’t received a response.

Anyone with information can reach out to Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 or anonymously to Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Queer community resources can be found on the Kamloops Pride Society website here. Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre also has 24/7 crisis line available at 1-888-974-7278.