Undercover cop testifies in Edmonton manslaughter police killing trial

The manslaughter trial is ongoing for the man who sold an Edmonton teen the gun he used to kill two city police officers and shoot a Pizza Hut delivery driver three years ago.

The court heard from the undercover police officer whose investigation led to the charges against then 18-year-old Dennis Okeymow.

READ: Man who allegedly trafficked firearm used in fatal shooting of Edmonton police constables charged with manslaughter

The officer spoke about an undercover operation to get information about trafficking the semi-automatic rifle used in the two shootings in March 2023.

The first shooting was at a Pizza Hut, the second at a Westmount apartment days later where Edmonton police constables Brett Ryan and Travis Jordan were shot and killed.

The 16-year-old suspect also shot his mother before turning the gun on himself.

With the shooter dead and no chance of charges, investigators have turned their attention to the gun seller.

In the sting, police arrested Okeymow, then staged a fake traffic stop where the undercover officer was arrested with a fake gun in front of Okeymow.

Both were brought to the RCMP’s Sherwood Park detachment, then released together. Okeymow accepted a ride from the undercover officer back to Edmonton, who recorded their conversation.

That recording was played in court Tuesday, with Okeymow heard saying he knows the person behind the shootings. He says 16-year-old Roman Shewchuk was “weird.”

“I think he was depressed when I think back. But I don’t think he was weird, he was just depressed.”

The court Tuesday also heard from firearms experts. The semi-automatic rifle was a legal firearm that changed hands multiple times. Okeymow did not own the gun legally and had a weapons ban.

The fact Okeymow sold the gun to Shewchuk isn’t disputed in court; it’s one of a long list of facts both sides in the case agree are true.

That includes that Okeymow was Shewchuk’s drug dealer for over a year. He mostly sold him small amounts of cannabis, as Shewchuk was a minor and couldn’t buy it legally.

Police found evidence the deals were happening on Snapchat. It’s also on Snapchat that Okeymow agreed to sell Shewchuk a gun.

Forensic investigators pulled messages from data on the shooter’s phone between Okeymow – username menace2yeg122 – and Shewchuk.

Court documents show Okeymow offered to sell the semi-automatic rifle and 100 bullets for $2,500.

Shewchuk responded he only had $1,500 and instead “needed a handgun.” Five days later, he went back to Okeymow and asked to buy it for $2,500.

After that, Shewchuk asked for a discount on cocaine because Okeymow gave him 80 rounds of bullets instead of 100.

Okeymow has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death, and guilty to drug charges.

The trial is expected to continue later through the week.