A 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death near Vancouver's Robson Square over the weekend and the killing is being investigated as a murder, police said Monday.
Sgt. Steve Addison said no arrests had been made, and police want to speak to potential witnesses to events leading up to the stabbing, which is believed to have happened around 11:40 p.m. Saturday.
Addison told a news briefing on Monday that people leaving the downtown area after the Celebration of Light fireworks show might be potential witnesses.
"There may be people who may have seen something, didn't necessarily know what they saw, and don't quite realize that they're witnesses to something that happened," said Addison.
Addison said investigators had been working "non-stop" to find the person, or people, responsible for the killing
Police have not released the name of the victim, who was from Surrey, B.C.
The victim's next of kin has been notified by the police.
"It's an incredible impact on that person's family, friends and community, and that tragedy and that impact is magnified when we're talking about somebody who's still a child," said Addison.
Addison said police believed there was a "violent altercation" near the Vancouver Law Courts at Smithe and Hornby streets.
A passerby called 911 and officers found the injured boy on Hornby Street.
Despite the efforts of first responders, the boy died in hospital early Sunday morning, Addison said.
"Investigators from (the Vancouver Police Department) operations division, forensic identification unit, and major crime section have been working to collect evidence from the crime scene, to learn more about what led up to the murder, and to identify anyone responsible," the VPD said in a statement.
In addition to direct witnesses, police are seeking others who may unknowingly possess dash-camera video of the altercation.
They want to talk to anyone with footage from the area between Georgia, Smithe, Howe and Hornby streets between 11:30 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. on Saturday.
Addison said police had seen videos online of fights occurring during or after the fireworks show, but did not "want to conflate the homicide investigation unnecessarily with fireworks."
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
