APTN National News
The following is an account was given to an investigator with the Ontario Coroner’s office by a First Nations man in Thunder Bay who says he was attacked.
This attack, which took place in October 2008, was read into the record at an Inquest looking into the deaths of seven First Nations students in Thunder Bay.
He left Thunder Bay after the attack for home and never returned.
The retired Toronto homicide detective who took this statement for the Coroner said he believes the man is telling the truth.
• In October 2008, he was on his way home from the Intercity area it was night and he was alone
• He was walking along the river
• He came across a group of young males, who were unknown to him
• He had a short conversation with them and they attacked him
• He was thrown in the river by these males
• He swam to the opposite side of the river and ultimately managed to escape this attack
• He went home, to his boarding parent, and showed up soaking wet
• He left Thunder Bay to go back to his community almost immediately thereafter
• After he left Thunder Bay, he never returned to DFC as he felt unsafe in Thunder Bay
• None of the subject students were involved in this incident
• There are no issues or concerns surrounding the response and follow up that occurred by NNEC staff and TBPS
