Brandon teen accused of sword attack to undergo mental assessment

BRANDON — A Manitoba judge has ordered a mental health assessment on the 16-year-old boy accused of attempted murder in a sword attack on a fellow student at a Brandon high school.

Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta signed an order in Brandon provincial court Tuesday for the accused to receive a forensic assessment for bail purposes. It will be used to determine whether he suffers from a psychological disorder, emotional disturbance, learning disability or mental disability.

“There seems to be a bit of a decline in his mental health in the last several months,” said defence lawyer Anthony Dawson, who was acting on behalf of lawyer Bob Harrison. “Something seemed to be rather wrong with (the accused), based on what his family had explained to Mr. Harrison.”

The accused is also charged with uttering threats, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and disguise with intent.

Hewitt-Michta spoke directly to the gallery, which was filled with friends, family and supporters of 15-year-old Chinonso Onuke, the victim of the June 10 attack at Neelin High School.

The judge said while the accused didn’t appear in court, progress is still being made.

“Maybe it’s frustrating because he’s not here today, but I just wanted you to know that’s not unusual.”

She said the youth is in a correctional facility and usually the court doesn’t transfer prisoners unless something particularly “meaningful” will happen in their case.

Hewitt-Michta asked observers for their patience regarding a decision.

In an interview after the hearing, Onyebuchi Onuke, the victim’s father, said he doesn’t care how long the process takes as long as the right decisions are made.

“He’s a young person… If it’s handled very well, by the grace of God, he could change and be of better use to himself and the society in the future.”

Onuke said his No. 1 priority is his son’s recovery and his second is the rehabilitation of the accused.

Regarding the reason for the attack, he said that based on what he has heard from eyewitnesses, “to some extent, it was racially motivated,” as his son is Black.

“People need to, especially people in Brandon at all levels, they need to know that we are here to live together in peace and to work together without somebody feeling like, ‘I’ll be discriminated against because of my colour,’” he said.

The city’s police chief said Monday investigators are exploring possible motives and additional charges are possible.

“The Crown Attorney has received all the witness statements we’ve collected so far, and there’s a close analysis of those investigative materials to ascertain whether or not the attack was ideologically or racially motivated,” Brandon Police Service Chief Tyler Bates said.

“Investigations like this often involve executing search warrants and reviewing materials obtained through those processes. There are still several investigative steps to complete, and we’re continuing to consult with the Crown on the relevance of the evidence and whether it supports the possibility of further charges.”

About 35 members of Brandon’s Black community visited the victim’s home on Sunday in a show of solidarity with the family.

The United Nigerians in Brandon Association member Calistus Ekenna, who is also a Brandon School Division board trustee, said the community is deeply troubled by the attack and wants to see proactive measures taken to ensure student safety in schools.

“We’re hurting, but we’re organizing,” he said. “When an attack like this happens to one of us, it happens to all of us. We cannot ignore this because it deeply disturbs us.”

Community safety is a shared responsibility, he said, calling for stronger unity.

“We can all be each other’s keeper. As a city, we must grow together and support one another. While the city is hurting, our community is in deep pain, and we want our voices to be heard as we try to heal and move forward.”

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Ekenna said the group plans to send formal communications to the school division, Brandon Police Service and city council.

“There are plans for a community-led presentation to the board,” he said. “They want to share their suggestions and concerns, and I support that effort.”

The group expressed gratitude that Chinonso survived and lauded his courage during the traumatic event.

“We thank God for preserving the life of the victim,” Olaosebikan said. “From his account, you could see just how brave he was. We’re also deeply grateful that no one else was harmed.”

— Brandon Sun