Two teens, aged 16 and 17, face aggravated assault charges after a stabbing victim was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Batchewana First Nation Police Service and Sault Ste. Marie OPP responded to a parking lot on Gran Street at approximately 3:30 a.m. Tuesday where the 19-year-old victim was found.
The two accused were arrested the following day.
Full text of a news release issued by OPP follows:
One person is in hospital and two youths have been charged following a stabbing incident in Batchewana First Nation.
On July 30, 2024, at approximately 3:30 a.m., the Batchewana First Nation Police Service and the Sault Ste. Marie Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a report of a person with stab wounds in a parking lot on Gran Street. Sault Ste. Marie Paramedic Services transported the 19-year-old with life-threatening injuries to a local hospital.
On July 31, 2024, police arrested two individuals in relation to the investigation at a residence in Batchewana First Nation.
As a result, a 17-year-old from Batchewana First Nation, and a 16-year-old from Thunder Bay, have been charged with:
• Aggravated assault
• Uttering threats - cause death or bodily harm
The accused have been remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sault Ste. Marie on a later date.
The identities of the accused are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act and will not be released.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Sault Ste. Marie OPP Crime Unit and the Batchewana Police Service under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, with assistance from the OPP North East Region Canine Unit, Emergency Response Team and Forensic Identification Services, as well as Anishinabek Police Service and Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.
Anyone with any information regarding this investigation is asked to please contact the Sault Ste. Marie OPP or Batchewana First Nation Police Service at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or saultcrimestoppers.com, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.