Skateboarder ID’d as shooting victim

The victim of a fatal shooting in Ranchlands is being remembered for his infectious smile and rare talent on a skateboard. Olara Obina, a well-known figure within Calgary’s skateboarding community, has been identified by friends as the man police say was discovered shot to death in a vehicle in a Ranchlands back alley Saturday afternoon. In tributes posted online Monday, Obina, who was in his late 20s, was described as an “influential figure” in local skateboarding circles. “I can’t recall a time when he wasn’t smiling and it was contagious,” said childhood friend Scott Burns, who skateboarded with Obina. Burns said he was house-sitting just a block away from where the shooting happened. “My first reaction was disbelief,” Burns said. Police believe the shooting was targeted. Investigators say they’ve determined the victim was shot in the back alley along Ranchero Rise N.W. in the early morning hours of Nov. 3, but wasn’t discovered until later the next day. CPS said Sunday they were looking for a person of interest in connection with the case. But by Monday, police had located the man and subsequently said in a release that he was not considered a suspect at this time. An autopsy was expected to be completed on Monday. Friends have been raising funds online to help support Obina’s family, and, as word spread, more tributes to the skateboarder were shared: “If you knew Olara, you probably knew him as a great skater and even better person,” read a post from the Calgary Association of Skateboarding Enthusiasts, “RIP Olara Obina #rollforever.”.