Date of publication: April 16, 2022 • 1 hour ago • 3 minutes reading • 5 comments Darrel Robertson. The Edmonton Public School Superintendent speaks to the media about the death of a student at McNally High School on Saturday, April 16, 2022 in Edmonton. Photo by Greg Southam / Postmedia

Content of the article

Edmonton homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 16-year-old boy following an attack reported outside McNally High School last week.

Advertising 2

This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below. 

Content of the article

At around 2:44 p.m. on Friday, April 8, the Edmonton Police Department (EPS) received reports of an attack outside a high school that sent a teenager to the hospital in critical condition. In a press release Saturday, Edmonton police said the teenager died at the hospital on Friday and that the EPS Homicide Division has been investigating since. Police say a number of suspected youths have since been identified. “On behalf of the Edmonton Police Department, I would like to thank the community who assisted us during this complex investigation,” said EPS Homicide Staff Sgt. said Colin Leathem in a press release. “This tragedy has affected so many, but this is not the time for anger or hatred – this is the time to mourn and heal as a community.”

Advertising 3

This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below. 

Content of the article

“Our Crime and Trauma Support Services team works with the Edmonton Public School Board to provide support to anyone affected.” The autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday next week. Police are investigating the scene outside McNally High School near the bus stop on Friday, April 8, 2022 in Edmonton. A witness saw a young man being transported on a stretcher while receiving chest compressions. Photo by Greg Southam / Postmedia Police are investigating the scene outside McNally High School near the bus stop on Friday, April 8, 2022 in Edmonton. A witness saw a young man being transported on a stretcher while receiving chest compressions. Photo by Greg Southam / Postmedia

“Our hearts are definitely with them”

Darrell Robertson, an inspector at Edmonton Public Schools, expressed his condolences to the family of McNally High School student during a Saturday afternoon that was available to the media. “Our hearts are definitely with them, with our McNally school community, with our students, our staff and everyone affected by what is truly unthinkable,” Robertson said. “I know there will be a lot of people looking for answers, to understand what happened, and the reality is that whatever answers we are going to find in the coming days and weeks will be far below our expectations. “Now is the time to unite as a community and start healing.”

Advertising 4

This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below. 

Content of the article

Robertson said staff at McNally High School are shocked and overwhelmed with emotion. He said that the department is there to support the staff and knows that they play a big role in supporting the students. “I want parents to know that our schools are amazing places and we work very hard to ensure the success of our children, and that includes their safety, and that will not change – we will continue to give 100 percent to 107,000 students “We welcome through the doors of our buildings every day,” he said. Robertson said the department has a crisis team that was at the school and will continue to be available next week to help students and staff deal with the incident. He added that safety is “paramount” for all schools and teachers and department staff who work hard to connect students in a positive way with the school community through sports, clubs and other after-school activities.

Advertising 5

This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below. 

Content of the article

“I think we need to keep doing more of the same,” Robertson said. “The way we can support our children is to make them feel part of our community and we work so hard to do that.” Robertson expressed his gratitude to EPS and Police Chief Dale McFee throughout the process. Alberta Education Minister Adriana Lagrange said on Twitter that she was “hurt” to hear of the schoolgirl’s death. “I agree with the school authorities throughout Alberta as we mourn this student’s family, friends and school community,” LaGrange said. He said Edmonton Public Schools will have additional mental health and crisis support and will be available to students and staff when schools reopen Wednesday. [email protected] twitter.com/kellentanguchi

Share this article on your social network

Advertising 1

This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below. 

Sign up to receive daily headlines from the Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you agree to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Thank you for your registration!

A welcome email is on its way. If you do not see it, check the junk folder. The next issue of the Edmonton Journal Headline News will be in your inbox shortly. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but political forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour to monitor before appearing on the site.  We ask that you retain your comments regarding and with respect.  We’ve activated email notifications — you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, an update on a comment thread that follows, or if a user follows the comments.  See the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to customize your email settings.