Two 14-year-olds charged with 2nddegree murder in Halifax teen's stabbing

Two 14-year-olds have been charged with second-de‐ gree murder in the stab‐ bing death of a Halifax teenager.

Halifax Regional Police and RCMP arrested the two youths Wednesday night in the Halifax-area community of Sackville, according to a police news release.

The two accused, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, are scheduled to appear in Halifax youth court Friday.

Police were called after the 16-year-old victim, Ah‐ mad Al Marrach, was found wounded in a parking lot at the Halifax Shopping Centre around 5 p.m. Monday. The teen was taken to hospital, where he died.

Two 14-year-olds were ar‐ rested about 20 minutes af‐ ter the initial call to police. On Tuesday, police said those youths had been released without charges.

Relationship unknown between accused, victim

Police said Thursday they do not believe there are any other suspects. They are still investigating the relationship between the accused and Al Marrach, who came to Cana‐ da from Syria as a refugee eight years ago.

"We don't believe this is a random incident," said Const.

John MacLeod, a spokesper‐ son for Halifax Regional Police.

"There's no information at this point to suggest it was a hate-motivated crime."

The arrests came on the same day as a police pres‐ ence at three Sackville-area schools. RCMP said there were reports of a potential threat circulating on social media.

Al Marrach, a student at Citadel High School in Hali‐ fax, was remembered at a wake and funeral prayer at Kearney Lake Masjid, a local mosque, on Wednesday.

WATCH | Community gathered to pay respects to Ahmad Al Marrach on Wednesday in Halifax

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