Maqsood Ahmed stabbed to death in northeast Calgary

Police saythe fatalstabbing of a northeast Calgary business owner on Wednesday night was a planned and targeted attack.

Calgary police say it happened in the 4700 block of Westwinds Drive just before 10 p.m. MT. as a man identified as Maqsood Ahmed and woman were closing up shop.

Ahmed left on foot with a money bagwhen hewasattacked by two people in arobbery,police said.

He was taken to hospital where he died. The woman was not injured.

An autopsy has confirmedAhmed died of stab wounds.

The 55-year-old owned the Calgary Produce Market and also operated a Western Union money transfer business.

2 suspects sought

The homicide unit is investigating.

Investigators have been reviewing footage from the security cameras in the area.

The two suspects are described as:

• Black male in his 20s who is roughly five feet 10 inches tallwith a lean muscular build and long hair. He was wearing dark clothing and white shoes.
• Black male in his 20s who is roughly six feettall with a medium to heavy build and short hair. He was wearing a light coloured hoodie under a dark three quarter length leather jacket, dark pants and white shoes.

Calgary police are also looking for a vehicle they believe was used by the suspects. It is described as a dark coloured 1999 to 2003 two-doorToyota Solara.

Anyone with informationis asked to call police at403-266-1234, the Homicide Unit tipline at403-428-8877or Calgary Crime Stoppers.

Area store owners react

Balbir Kanda, the owner ofneighbouring storeWestern Window Coverings, was in the area Wednesday night during the incident.

He saidhe could see one of Ahmed's employees yelling for help afterhe went outside.

"When she asked for the help, Ithought maybe somebody's robbing her, or something right," he said."Then Iwent over there to help her and then Isaw the guy.He was laying on the floor.He was covered with blood. Basically, that's it.He was in a bad, bad situation."

Raj Bal Sidhu, who owns the Best Buy store across the street, said he will rememberAhmed as a very nice person.

"He's a very hard worker. I don't see him fighting anybody [orarguing] withanybody. Anybody just come [and] ask him[for] help,he woulddo that."