Brazilian community seeks housing for student blinded in Calgary

Calgary's Brazilian community is looking for accommodations for the family of a foreign student blindedin a downtown shooting.

Jose Ribamar Ribeiro Neto's family arrivedSunday from Fortaleza in northeastern Brazil.

They had "a very emotional reunion, which brought some comfort to the young injured man," according to a release from the Brazilian Community Association of Alberta.

The Brazilian community is rallying around Ribeiro, who had been in the city for just a few months to study English with his girlfriend. Ribeiro was shot just below the eye as the couple left a restaurant and walked along Centre Street South on Sept. 16.

Police said Ribeiro was an innocent bystander and the bullet that blinded him was fired during an altercation between a man and two other people in a park down the street.

Roland Ashley Warawa, 30, faces several charges, including two counts of attempted murder. He made a brief court appearance Monday via closed-circuit television and was remanded into custody until a bail hearingset forOct. 20.

The association expectsRibeiro to be released from hospital soon and is looking for a three-bedroom home, furniture and equipment to assist the blinded 24-year-old and his family. They also hope to have a trust fund set up by Tuesday.

Catherine McPhee, a spokeswoman with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind,said the agency will help Ribeiro adjust to his new life.

"As long as he is here in Alberta, in Calgary, we will provide those direct specialized and support services. And if he travels back home to his own country, then what we would be doing is getting him connected back with those resources in his own country."