A 17-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after being stabbed during a fight on a recent Saturday night.
New Westminster police were called to Queensborough Middle School about 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 10 after receiving a report of a large fight between youths.
“The initial call was about 30 youths fighting. The majority of the bystanders were witnesses, and only a small group were actually involved in the fight,” NWPD spokesperson Sgt. Sanjay Kumar told the Record. “We are still trying to determine the motive for this.”
A New Westminster Police Department press release states the responding officers located four armed suspects, who had fled the scene using public transit.
Bear spray, a machete and a knife were among the weapons seized by police, Kumar said.
The victim was located and was taken to hospital with serious injuries. He remained in hospital as of April 16.
“There is a chance he was released over the weekend,” Kumar told the Record April 20. “The last information we had as of late last week was that he was still in the hospital. He could have been released over the weekend; we just haven’t been able to follow up yet.”
On the night of the incident, four suspects were arrested, and their guardians were notified.
“Four youths were initially arrested. One was charged,” Kumar said. “There is evidence pointing to one specific individual.”
A 15-year-old Vancouver resident has been charged with aggravated assault, robbery and assault with a weapon.
“We are still trying to determine the motive as to what happened. What we do know is that it happened on the school grounds of the Queensborough Middle School,” Kumar said. “We don’t believe there is any relation to the school. This is just where the incident happened.”
According to police, most of the youths at the scene were between 15 and 18 years of age, with most being New West residents but some coming from surrounding Lower Mainland communities.
If needed, the New Westminster Police Department’s Victim Assistance Unit is providing support to people who witnessed this incident.
The police department’s major crime unit is investigating the incident and is asking any witnesses who have yet to speak to police to call 604-525-5411.
“We’re appealing for anyone who witnessed this assault or knows anything about the circumstances around this assault to contact us,” Kumar said in a news release. “Witness accounts, as well as video or any social media posts connected to this event, are of interest to investigators.”
Kumar said police are unaware of any videos of the incident circulating on social media, but there’s always a chance someone was recording the incident and has passed it around to friends.
“We are encouraging, if this video does exist or if there is a video that exist at all, that we encourage that individual or someone to contact us to discuss it so we can at least get a hold of it,” he said. “A video paints a clear picture of what happens.”
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