Youth assaulted in Strathmore during Stampede

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Strathmore RCMP are investigating the assault of a 17-year-old, having been called out to investigate a report in the early hours of Aug. 1 at the Ag grounds. 

Staff Sgt. Mark Weilgosz was able to confirm the arrest of one person at the time of the incident, and that the investigation is ongoing. 

With regards to a recent incident where a 15-year-old was assaulted in Strathmore, Weilgosz did not confirm whether the two incidents were related. 

“I would ask that anyone with information to either incident or any crime for that matter in our community, come forward and certainly bring it to our attention,” he said. “Any information would be helpful to ensure we are dealing with each of these … or any criminal incident in our community in an appropriate way.”

The victim of the Aug. 1 assault is not able to be publicly identified due to their involvement in a separate police investigation. A publication ban is active regarding their identity because they are a minor.

A Strathmore resident sympathetic to the victim explained the youth’s face was cut up and swollen, they were unable to see out of an eye for several days, and they sustained a broken nose among their injuries. 

The source’s identity has been redacted for their protection, as they have described reception of threats for their provision of aid to the Aug. 1 victim. 

“My oldest son attends youth night at the Trellis Society, and (last time) he was there, a kid came up to him and said that (the redacted) family knows that we have been taking care of (the victim) and letting him stay safe with us, and if our family doesn’t stop, we are going to be in the crosshairs next,” they said. “None of our kids are allowed to leave where we are staying without an adult. These people are willing to beat (the victim) after already getting the authorities involved, and now it feels like they are taking it as an attack on them for us making sure a minor doesn’t get his ass kicked again.”

According to the source, the victim intends to press charges against the accused once suspects are identified.

Weilgosz added, engaging in vigilante justice, or taking a sense of justice into one’s own hands is extremely discouraged, particularly when violence is a potential prospect or if weapons may be involved. 

“It is always preferable to bring these incidents or issues to the attention of the police or jurisdiction to deal with these matters in an appropriate and safe manner,” he said.

“In reassurance to the residents of Strathmore … these incidents are not random acts of violence, and people are not randomly being selected for violence … any kind of violence committed in our community, if it is random or if it is of a (targeted) nature, is very rare.”