Laval’s accused teen appeared traumatized upon realizing the victim had been stabbed, witness says

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The Laval teenager charged with first-degree murder in the death of his friend in early 2020 appeared traumatized to realize the victim had been stabbed, a witness testified Friday.

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The witness was testifying in the Juvenile Court case that is taking place in the Laval court. The defendant, who was 16 years old at the time of his arrest, is on trial alone before a judge and is charged with first degree murder for the death of his best friend. The 15-year-old victim was killed in a parking lot next to Parc Marc-Aurèle Fortin in the Fabreville de Laval district on the night of January 1, 2020.

The identities of the accused, the victim, and various witnesses who will be called to testify are protected by the Canadian Juvenile Justice Act.

The defendant and the victim were close friends prior to the stabbing, but had argued via the Snapchat app that they and other friends used while on vacation. The defendant was blocked from his online group and the teens exchanged insults for days before the defendant was summoned to the park.

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When questioned after his arrest, the defendant admitted that he had brought a kitchen knife from his home to the park and told police that five of his friends confronted him.

One of the friends who was present during the fight was questioned on Friday by Guy Poupart, the defendant’s lawyer.

The witness said he saw the defendant, the victim, and a third teenager involved in the altercation when the victim pulled away and began to move toward him.

The witness also said that the fight stopped immediately after he noticed that his friend had been stabbed. He testified that he called to let the others gathered in the parking lot know what happened.

Poupart then asked if the defendant appeared to be traumatized when he realized that the victim had been stabbed.

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“I never said I was traumatized. I said I was shocked, ”said the witness.

But Poupart asked the witness to read a statement he gave to the police when he was questioned on January 2, 2020, the day after the stabbing.

The statement was videotaped and later transcribed.

Poupart recalled the witness telling the police: “As soon as I yelled ‘(the victim) has been stabbed’ I looked at (the accused). He was traumatized and started running. “

“Is that what you really said (during interrogation)?” Poupart asked.

“Yes. Yes. That is what is written (in the transcript),” replied the witness.

“Does that reflect the state in which you saw (the defendant) at the time?”

“Yes,” replied the witness.

The witness also said there was a 20 to 30 second delay between the time the teenagers who were fighting broke up and when the victim collapsed in front of him.

The trial is scheduled to resume on November 1, when Perreault will hear testimony from another young man who was present during the fight. He is expected to be the last witness to be called by the Crown.

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