Police say 14 year old boy dies in alleged assault outside Hamilton high school

HAMILTON — Police say a 14-year-old boy has died following an alleged assault outside a high school in Hamilton, and investigators say it happened in front of the boy’s mother.

The alleged incident took place Monday afternoon outside Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School in the city’s east end.

Police told reporters during a news conference at the scene Monday night that three suspects had been arrested and police are searching for two others, and that some of the suspects may have been students at the school.

The attack was captured on video, police said, and they urged the remaining suspects who weren’t in custody to turn themselves in because they would be caught.

“We will identify these people, and it is in their best interests to contact perhaps a lawyer, get some legal advice and come and see us,” Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk said.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board said the entire community shares in the grief.

“Our hearts are broken by the news that a 14-year-old student has died. There are no words that can begin to describe how shocked we are to learn about this loss,” Manny Figueiredo, the board’s director of education, said in a statement.

“Our thoughts are with the student’s family and loved ones.”

Bereziuk said there was a relationship between the boy and the suspects, but he didn’t know the extent of it.

No weapon has been recovered, and police urged people in the area to keep an eye out for a knife on their properties, adding that people shouldn’t touch it.

A can of pepper spray was located nearby that Bereziuk said may be part of the investigation. Evidence on social media may also be part of the investigation, he said.

He said police are also asking people to turn over any video they have of the incident, such as from security or dashboard cameras.

Bereziuk said he didn’t know why the boy’s mother was with her son at the time.

“My team has spoken with her. She’s witnessed something horrible here. She’s going to be distraught. She is distraught,” Bereziuk said. “She’s devastated.”

Figueiredo said the school board will be supporting students and staff as it works with the Hamilton Police Service.

“We can never tolerate acts of violence. We must always promote acts of kindness and peace for the sake of our entire Hamilton community.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2019.

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. 2019