A fourth teenager has been charged in the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old boy whose family moved to Halifax eight years ago from Syria, in search of a safer and better life.
Police found Ahmad Al Marrach bleeding on the ground in a mall parking lot last week. The Halifax high-school student was rushed to the hospital where he later died.
The fourth accused, a 16-year-old boy, appeared in Halifax youth court Thursday where he was formally charged with second-degree murder and breaching conditions of a previous sentence. He sat on a courtroom bench in sweats and a pair of rubber slides, surrounded by sheriffs and looking intently at the judge – his mother and grandmother watching from the public gallery.
Days after Ahmad’s death, two 14-year-olds – a boy and a girl – were charged with second-degree murder. They agreed to remain in custody, as did another 16-year-old boy who was also charged with second-degree murder earlier this week. All four accused will appear back in court on May 13.
Crown lawyer Terry Nickerson, speaking to The Globe and Mail after the third arrest on Monday, said he has requested the accused be sentenced as adults if convicted, a decision that would be up to the judge.
Halifax Regional Police have said they believe the killing was neither hate motivated nor a random act, but few other details were released.
The killing sparked widespread devastation and grief across the city. Hundreds of mourners attended Ahmad’s funeral, held at a mosque in the suburban area of Bedford last week. His coffin, shrouded in a green silk cloth, was later buried at a Muslim cemetery in nearby Hammonds Plains.
Last weekend, about 100 people gathered in a downtown Halifax park, where Ahmad was remembered as a joyful young man and a gentle and affectionate older brother. His father, Maher Al Marrach also took the microphone to thank the community for coming and supporting him.
Community leader Rana Zaman shared a statement written by members of Ahmad’s family, describing him as an animal lover, who took care of his cat Mimi and fed the birds outside his home every day.
“Ahmad embodied kindness, looking after his brothers and sisters with love. He helped out a lot, making their milk and playing with them.”
She described the teen as a passionate skier and lacrosse player, who aspired to join a team this spring, and enjoyed cruising around on his scooter, riding his bike and gliding on his hoverboard. “He had such a zest for life.”
Days before Ahmad died, he noticed his mother was in pain, and he brought her a bouquet of roses, sharing one with each of his six siblings. “In his passing Ahmad leaves behind a legacy of kindness and compassion,” Ms. Zaman said, reading from the family’s statement.
She told The Globe in an interview that she believes stricter laws are needed to discourage youth crime.
“This was not committed out of love. He didn’t die out of love, so it’s a hate crime and at the end of the day we are failing children as a society. It is so easy to kill somebody and then turn around and brag about it,” she said.
“The family really just wants justice for their son.”
Police were called to the Halifax Shopping Centre at 5:15 p.m. on April 22. Several minutes later, two 16-year-olds were arrested aboard a city bus near North Street, but they were released the following day without charges. These same two teens were charged with second-degree murder this week.
Ahmad’s parents, Maher Al Marrach and Basima Al Jaji, are among the thousands of refugees who came to Canada in 2016. They spoke to Global News through an Arabic interpreter about how the violent death of their son has shattered their hopes of a better life – to the point where Ahmad’s mother said she regrets leaving Syria.
“I came here wanting to protect my children. I left seeking safety, but we didn’t find any here,” she told Global News, adding that Ahmad’s brother was also a victim of stabbing last year. Since then, she said she’s been working to try to get better housing and move away from a downtown Halifax public housing area.
Ahmad’s father, a construction worker, is awaiting surgery and unable to work, the Global report said. He said financial assistance the family has received isn’t enough to pay for rent and necessities. A GoFundMe account set up by a family friend has already raised more than $67,000 for Ahmad’s family.
The identities of all four accused are protected from publication under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
With a report from The Canadian Press