Sister of teenager who was attacked with a machete says 'it's a miracle he's alive'
15-year-old boy endured 20 hours of surgery and is in stable condition
The stepsister of a 15-year-old who was attacked with a machete on Saturday evening says "it's a miracle he's alive," after he spent 20 hours in surgery fighting for his life.
The teenager has two broken arms with cuts down to his bones, a skull fracture, slashes to his face and back and had to have at least one completely severed finger reattached, said his sister, who CBC is not naming to protect the youth's identity under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
"He is completely stable. He is talking. He's in much better spirits than you'd actually imagine for this kind of situation," the teen's sister said Tuesday.
"He is on strict bed rest currently and will be for quite a few more days," she said, adding that he will need further reconstructive surgeries in the future.
The teenager was walking with a group of friends on Selkirk Avenue, near Aikins Street in Winnipeg around 11 p.m. on Saturday when they stopped to help a woman who appeared to be in distress.
The woman started screaming at the group saying "she had friends that would beat them up," so they left her alone and continued walking, the sister said. Shortly after, the group was approached by two people who started chasing them down the street.
"[My brother] was the first to run out of breath and they caught him and robbed him and beat him and attacked him with a machete," she said.
With the help of the canine unit, Winnipeg police arrested the attacker — who is also 15 and is unknown to the victim — on Flora Avenue, which is one street over from where the incident happened.
The attacker has been charged with aggravated assault, robbery, possession of a weapon and four counts of failing to comply with a probation order, police said.
Police are continuing to investigate what happened.
The teenager's sister, who's from Deloraine, Man., said the violence on Winnipeg streets has been happening for a long time and is "absolutely insane."
"They missed all his vital organs, but like at the same time, the severity of the attack and the fact that his perpetrator was only charged with aggravated assault, to me, that's sickening," she said.
"I'm a very stubborn person and I have a very strong sense of justice, especially moral justice and I will not be letting this slide."
She said her brother lives in Winnipeg with his mother and that the family's priority is to make sure he pulls through this and recovers quickly. She's set up a GoFundMe to raise funds to cover any travel costs for family members who wish to see him in the hospital, comfort items for him and therapy, which he may need in the future.
Politicians want restrictions on machetes
"The details of this attack are shocking and the level of violence that has been caused by machetes is absolutely horrifying," Manitoba Minister of Justice Matt Wiebe said Tuesday.
Wiebe said the provincial government will be taking steps to limit the sale and access to machetes to ensure that these weapons aren't used in violent attacks. He plans to address these concerns in the upcoming legislative session this fall.
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham told CBC on Tuesday that he supports a ban or restriction on the use of machetes in the city and looks forward to having discussions with the justice minister.
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With files from Zubina Ahmed