Police say no indication Ahmad Al Marrach’s death was hate-motivated

CBC News ·

Two 14-year-olds have been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing 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, Ahmad 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 16-year-olds were arrested about 20 minutes after 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 Canada from Syria as a refugee eight years ago.

“We don’t believe this is a random incident,” said Const. John MacLeod, a spokesperson 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 presence 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 Halifax, was remembered at a wake and funeral prayer at Kearney Lake Masjid, a local mosque, on Wednesday.

Community remembers 16-year-old victim of homicide near Halifax mall

The Kearney Lake Mosque was packed with mourners Wednesday afternoon for a wake and funeral prayer for Ahmad Al Marrach, 16, who was the victim of a homicide earlier this week. As the CBC’s Taryn Grant reports, the teenager came to Canada from Syria eight years ago.