Edmonton police have charged a 12-year-old boy with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon after investigating the stabbing of an 11-year-old boy inside a McDonald’s restaurant last week.
Patrol officers from Edmonton Police Services’ northwest branch responded to the reported stabbing near 153rd Avenue and Castle Downs Road at about 3:15 p.m. on Friday, EPS spokesperson Carolin Maran told CBC News on Wednesday.
Police were told the stabbing occurred during an altercation involving five boys, ages nine to 12. The suspects fled the scene after the stabbing.
Paramedics treated the seriously injured 11-year-old and took him to a hospital, where he is in stable condition, Maran said.
Alberta Health Services spokesperson Kerry Williamson confirmed EMS arrived at the scene at 3:23 p.m. and took one youth to hospital in stable, non-life-threatening condition.
Investigators have since identified all of the young people involved. The 12-year-old suspect who was charged has been released on an undertaking, Maran said.
Amy Lind, a senior associate with Liberty Law, said these kinds of cases are very unusual.
“Knives are showing up a bit more, but to have this young of a youth involved is extremely rare,” she said.
Young offenders are sentenced under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which protects their identities.
Lind said it is possible a 12-year-old could receive a jail sentence but she would be surprised if that ends up being the outcome in this case.
According to the act, she said, young offenders must be given the least restrictive sentence and the one more likely to rehabilitate them.
“I think we can all agree a 12-year-old doesn’t understand their actions or consequences the way a 35-year-old does,” she said.
Maran said on Wednesday morning that police did not believe this was a random event.
Later on Wednesday, she said the suspect youths and victim did not know each other.
Maran said no further charges are expected at this time.