No homicide charges will be laid in the February stabbing death of a 13-year-old boy at the MacEwan LRT station, Edmonton police announced Tuesday.
On Feb. 5, police responded to reports of a fight involving multiple people at the downtown transit station. When officers arrived around 11:41 p.m., they found the teen, who was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
An autopsy on Feb. 7 confirmed the boy died from a stab wound and ruled his death a homicide. However, after consulting with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, police determined that there was no likelihood of conviction, citing evidence that the killing was an act of self-defence.
According to investigators, the deceased was part of a group of four youths and an 18-year-old male who attacked two people sheltering at the LRT station — a 34-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman.
The stabbing occurred during the altercation.
Although no charges will be laid in the boy’s death, the other members of the group — identified as a 15-year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy, and 18-year-old Destynd Jackson — have been charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public in relation to the attack on the two victims.
Police have not released further details on the case.