A 15-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after a teen concertgoer was fatally stabbed while protecting his family from an unprovoked assault downtown.
The slightly built teen appeared in court Friday, accompanied by his mother and sister, and quietly answering “yes” when King’s Bench Justice Sarah Inness asked him if he was admitting that he knew stabbing the victim might kill him.
Crown prosecutors abandoned plans to seek an adult life sentence because the boy has pleaded guilty. Instead he will be sentenced to seven years of custody and community supervision. Crown and defence lawyers disagree about how much of the sentence should be served in custody. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, at least three of the seven years must be served under community supervision.
“The whole family is destroyed,” said a man who attended court in support of the 17-year-old victim, but did not want to be identified.
“There is no excuse for (the accused’s) behaviour,” the man said. “It was a joy killing. It was a badge of honour for him… I think we need a complete overhaul of the youth justice system.”
“It was a joy killing. It was a badge of honour for him… I think we need a complete overhaul of the youth justice system.”–Anonymous
The Youth Criminal Justice Acts prohibits identifying both the accused and victim by name.
Family members and supporters of the victim filled one half of the court gallery as Crown attorney Brent Davidson read from an agreed statement of facts that detail the June 17, 2023 attack near the intersection of Graham Avenue and Fort Street, a short walk from the Canada Life Centre arena.
The victim and several family members — including his mother, sister, stepsister, and his pregnant girlfriend — were walking to their car after a concert at Canada Life Centre when the accused teen’s girlfriend initiated a verbal dispute with the victim’s family and tried to assault the victim’s sister.
The accused pulled his girlfriend away to a nearby bus shelter before the girl broke free and charged at the family. She tried to hit the victim’s mother with a large vodka bottle.
“It was at this time that (the victim) attempted to assist his family,” Davidson said. “He attended to his family and pushed away the accused… who was once again trying to pull his girlfriend from the fray.”
The accused retreated to the bus shelter where he retrieved a folding knife and ran toward the victim, who was still trying to push the accused’s girlfriend away from his family.
“(The accused) immediately stabbed (the victim) in his lower abdomen with the knife and the pair fell to the ground, where a struggle ensued between the pair with others attempting to intervene.”–Crown attorney Brent Davidson
“(The accused) immediately stabbed (the victim) in his lower abdomen with the knife and the pair fell to the ground, where a struggle ensued between the pair with others attempting to intervene,” Davidson said.
The accused stabbed the victim two more times — once to the abdomen, and once to the chest, penetrating his heart. The victim staggered a short distance before falling to the ground. He was taken to hospital where he later died.
The altercation was captured on security video.
After the stabbing, the accused ran from the scene and hid for a time before making his way home.
“While alcohol was consumed by (the accused) that day, there is no (indication) of impairment in the surveillance footage seized from before, during or after the homicide,” Davidson said.
The accused, who is Indigenous, remains free on bail. He will be sentenced in the fall after the completion of a Gladue report examining relevant background and systemic factors that affected his criminal involvement.
Inness also agreed to order a forensic report that defence lawyer Matt Munce said will “explore any emotional, psychological disturbances, as well any learning disabilities” experienced by the accused, and “explore any issues with substance abuse disorder.”
dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
Dean Pritchard
Courts reporter
Someone once said a journalist is just a reporter in a good suit. Dean Pritchard doesn’t own a good suit. But he knows a good lawsuit.
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