No charges in stabbing death of 13-year-old at Edmonton LRT station

Edmonton police say they will not lay charges in the February death of 13-year-old Eric Omeasoo at the MacEwan LRT station because evidence shows the stabbing was in self-defence.

"Homicide investigators consulted with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service regarding the possibility of laying charges in the Feb. 5, 2025, death of the 13-year-old male, and have determined that there is no likelihood of conviction due to evidence that the murder was committed in self-defence," police said in a news release Tuesday.

"As such, no charges will be laid in relation to the youth's death."

CBC News asked the Edmonton Police Service for clarification on Omeasoo's involvement in the alleged assault.

"We understand the tragic circumstances of this death, and our hearts go out to the family," EPS said in a statement.

"Homicide investigators met with the family to answer their questions, and Crime and Trauma-informed Support Services have been provided to support the family as they grieve."

Omeasoo's aunt Chastity Phillips told CBC that the family was never offered any type of counselling services by police, and were instead offered someone to serve as a go-between or middleperson between the family and police. 

Phillips told CBC that the family was told they didn't qualify for victims of homicide supports. 

Police say Omeasoo was in a group of four youths and one 18-year-old who police say assaulted a 34-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman at the LRT station around 11:40 p.m. on Feb. 5.

Omeasoo was killed in the altercation between the group of young people and the man and woman.

The other four other suspects — a 15-year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl, and a 14-year-old boy and the 18-year-old man — were charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possessing an offensive weapon dangerous to the public.

A police spokesperson said they initially arrested a fifth person, another adult, who was not charged.

According to police, the group and the pair were not known to each other. The man and woman who were attacked had allegedly been taking shelter at the station.

Phillips told CBC that she wants police to let the family see the surveillance video of the incident. She said the family is distraught and feels like they don't have enough information.

"We need to be provided all those youth statements of what happened that night," she said. 

"We need to understand that, based on on witness accounts and the video footage, how that is self-defence."

Though the police have seemingly closed the case on Omeasoo's death, Phillips said it's not over for her. She said she hopes that if any other witnesses are out there, that they will speak with her about what happened that night.

"I will not stop fighting for justice for Eric. Until my last breath, I will be seeking justice for him."

Rhonda Spence, Omeasoo's grandmother, was his legal guardian. She said shortly after his death that family members were wanting to know what happened and why no one had been charged in Omeasoo's death.

"My grandson deserves to have that known," she said Feb. 10. "He wasn't just some nobody. He deserves justice."