ON Monday a 16-year-old male reported that he had been attacked by several individuals wearing masks in and around Annieville Park. The victim was threatened and punched before being stabbed several times by one or more of the suspects.
Delta Police officers located and provided emergency first aid to the victim until Delta Fire and Emergency Health Services arrived. The victim was taken to hospital and is being treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries. He is expected to make a full recovery.
As this attack happened within the proximity of several schools, members of the Delta Police worked with the Delta School administration and placed Delview Senior Secondary, Annieveille Elementary and Gibson Elementary into a precautionary ‘secure and hold’ until the police could take all necessary actions to locate the suspects.
The police investigation quickly determined that the incident was a targeted attack. The victim appears to be currently involved in a dispute with other individuals he knows from school. This incident is not believed to be connected to the BC Gang Conflict or gang-related.
Several youths involved in the attack were located by police and taken into custody. The potential suspects were students who went to school with the victim. The school administration has been working with investigators to assess this incident’s impact on all students at the school.
All of the suspect youth’s parents have been notified of the incident, and the school administration is taking all necessary steps they deem necessary by sanctioning the involved students as the investigation continues
Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord said: “Anytime we see high levels of violence at or near our schools, it is a significant pause for concern as to the welfare of the youth of our community. It is troubling a dispute has escalated to this level of violence”.
Investigators are at the preliminary steps of gathering evidence with the intention to forward a report to Crown Counsel seeking charges against those involved related to this incident.
Police thank Delta school administrators and staff for their continued assistance as this matter makes its way through the investigative process.
The victim and those involved are young persons, so their identities will not be made public.