A 14-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the unprovoked stabbing of a senior woman in Pickering, Ont., on May 29, which police describe as a random attack.
Durham Regional Police charged the youth on May 30, following the stabbing of an elderly woman the day before outside her home. Officials have described the incident as an unprovoked attack based on video footage, and say there is no evidence so far that the victim and suspect knew each other.
Police were called in at approximately 3:05 p.m. local time, after a passerby found the woman on the ground suffering from “traumatic injuries,” police said. She was then taken to a Toronto-area trauma centre where she later died from her injuries.
The youth, who is also from Pickering and fled the scene on foot, was arrested without incident at around 8:30 p.m., police said. He is currently in custody awaiting a bail hearing.
The suspect’s name will not be released in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act, a spokesperson for the Durham Regional Police told The Epoch Times. The victim’s name is being withheld at the request of the family.
Police say there was a brief exchange between the suspect and the victim before the incident. The victim suffered multiple stab wounds, though the exact number remains unknown.
Officials have not disclosed the victim’s age nor said whether the suspect was known to police. The type of weapon involved is also unknown.
After the incident on May 29, police issued a shelter-in-place alert for residents just before 5 p.m., saying there was a heavy police presence in the area of Fairport Road and Lynn Heights Drive due to a homicide, and that the suspect was still at large.
In response, the City of Pickering closed all public facilities, including community centres and libraries, and cancelled city programs.
Following the suspect’s arrest, police lifted the shelter-in-place alert, saying there was no longer a threat to public safety.
Prior to the arrest, police described the suspect as a brown male who was wearing a surgical mask and a long black jacket, and carrying a black bag.
A youth convicted of first-degree murder can face a sentence of up to 10 years, with a maximum of six years in custody and four years under conditional supervision in the community, according to the Youth Criminal Justice Act
Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe issued a statement to offer condolences to the family affected by the “tragic and senseless act of violence.”
“A horrific tragedy like this is truly unprecedented,” he said in a May 30 social media post. “While there will be much discussion and speculation in the days ahead, I ask for patience as the police investigation continues, as well as privacy for the victim’s family.”
