Family calling for youth violence awareness following recent assault in Strathmore

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The family of Sawyer Jensen (15) is seeking information, as well as to spread awareness about youth violence in Strathmore following a recent assault.

The attack took place in the early hours of July 18, following a night spent with friends. Sawyer explained he had been peer pressured into drinking, then lured to the birth forest area of Parkwood Park. 

Following the attack, he walked approximately two kilometers to the home of a family friend before receiving aid.

Sawyer was treated in hospital for a fractured distal radius in his forearm, a frontal sinus fracture, broken nose, loose teeth, and facial trauma among his other injuries. 

“I was having vivid nightmares where I was shaking on the ground, I was fighting in my sleep, at the lightest click of a glass I would jolt awake crying. Even though I know I don’t need to fear … in my head I’m just still scared,” he said. 

Brian Jensen, Sawyer’s father, added the two 17-year-olds involved in the attack have since turned themselves in to local RCMP and the incident is currently under investigation. 

The identities of the suspects have not been released. As the investigation is ongoing, police will not offer public comment. 

Sawyer explained he hopes that by sharing what happened to him, he is able to prevent similar incidents from happening to other kids. 

“If I was a kid half my size, I wouldn’t have survived. I wouldn’t have been able to walk away from it. Strathmore does have a problem with sweeping things under the rug. I know a couple people who this happened to. I don’t want to see somebody get hurt worse than me, or these guys get slapped on the wrist,” he said. “I know a couple people who have had similar things happen to them by similar people and there was no awareness spread. There were like three Facebook posts made and that is all they got. One of them almost died and one of them was hospitalized for a month. There was no awareness spread.”

The Jensen family is asking anyone with information which may be of use to the ongoing investigation to come forward. Additionally, they are hoping to start a conversation throughout the local community about youth violence. 

Mayor Pat Fule, emphasizing the terrible nature of this incident, hopes to maintain an overall sense of safety and security throughout the town. 

“I don’t want to lighten the impact of this kind of an event, but it is a rare occurrence. I’m sure the RCMP are working through their system to deal with what happened; they are doing a full investigation,” he said. “We did have some enhanced peace officer strategies that we have put in place this summer, so they are working later into the evening, which we think is a good way to help, but obviously you can’t be everywhere.”

Jensen and their family have temporarily relocated to Alberta from their home in BC in order to remain available for the ongoing investigation, as well as for Sawyer to recover from his injuries. 

He added, however, his shock and disappointment regarding a severe lack of victim services and supports able to be accessed within the province. 

“The absence of actual services for victims is astounding. We have been offered the food bank, and the women’s shelter so far for supports since this happened. There are literally no supports from the victim end of things,” said Jensen.  “I have talked to local police, I have talked to the MLA, I have talked to victim services, I’ve talked to the deputy premier, and they all point back to 211 Alberta and how I basically need to scour for supports that we need.”

He added a grievance that their situation does not meet Alberta victim services criteria for coverage or support of expenses such as travel, hospital parking, dental, or other associated expenses. 

Via the Province of Alberta, an application may be submitted for financial restitution following court proceedings. 

Specific eligibility criteria for the province’s victims of crime assistance program are not publicly listed. Queries are instructed to be emailed to the program directly for information. 

Via the province, there are no listed child and youth advocacy centres listed within Southern Alberta. Victim Services units are scattered throughout the province, with one listed as operating in Strathmore – the local detachment of the Southern Alberta Regional Victim Serving Society. 

The Ministry of Justice Victim Services is able to be contacted via the Alberta 211 website. These include: Victim Services: 780-427-3460; Victims of Crime Assistance Program: 780-427-7217; www.alberta.ca/victims-of-crime and  www.alberta.ca/help-for-victims-of-crime.

A court hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 1, where Jensen explained the accused have been charged with attempted murder under the Criminal Code of Canada.