John William Rock shot over drug debt: Witness

Feb 27, 2019 | 5:10 AM

A Grande Prairie court has heard that a 2014 shooting outside the Canadian Brewhouse happened over a drug debt.

Nicholas Richard Harris is being tried for murder over the shooting death of John William Rock.

A witness who had worked with Harris selling cocaine to other dealers testified that in the months leading up to the shooting, Rock had become more aggressive about collecting money from Harris and that the amount owed was close to $40,000.

He added that at one point, Rock had threatened the witness and his family, and later hit him twice in the head with a gun at a house party.

That same witness testified that he and Harris were coming to Grande Prairie to collect a different drug debt when they heard Rock was at the Brewhouse and that Rock had taken money and truck keys from two other drug network associates. A fight that broke out later between Rock and Harris led to the shooting.

Defence counsel asked if the witness saw another man in a black jacket enter the fight and shoot Rock. The witness stated, “That did not happen.”

The defence also questioned if the witness’s memory was still clear as the shooting happened more than four years ago.

That same witness is to resume his testimony Wednesday.

by Curtis Galbraith