Woman charged with attempted murder after 6-year-old boy stabbed
Elliott Chorny, 19, appeared in Halifax provincial court Monday
A 19-year-old woman accused of stabbing a six-year-old boy on a downtown Halifax street spoke quietly and stared at the floor during a court appearance Monday on a charge of attempted murder.
The boy, who remained in hospital Monday, was found suffering from stab wounds at around 1:20 p.m. Sunday on Barrington Street near Scotia Square Mall, a busy transit thoroughfare.
He was taken by ambulance to the IWK Health Centre with life-threatening injuries. Investigators said they don't believe the victim and the accused are known to each other.
"It's an extremely tragic incident," Const. Martin Cromwell of the Halifax Regional Police told a news conference Monday afternoon.
The boy, whose name is protected by a publication ban, was stabbed with a knife, said Cromwell.
He said it is too early in the investigation to say what may have provoked the violence, but added there is no evidence to suggest it was racially motivated.
The accused, Elliott Chorny, was arrested at the scene within minutes of police being called. She also faces a charge of possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace.
One of the boy's parents "was instrumental in ensuring the suspect remained on scene and the victim received immediate medical attention," a police spokesperson told CBC News.
On Monday, Chorny was escorted by sheriffs into a courtroom at Halifax provincial court where she consented to remain in custody. She's scheduled to return to court March 13.
Chorny is also facing an assault charge in relation to a separate incident on Jan. 27. She's scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment on March 12.
A Nova Scotia Health spokesperson confirmed that Chorny was allegedly involved in an incident at the QEII hospital last month that resulted in charges. The doctor involved in the incident is not commenting publicly as it's currently before the courts.
Accused's mom speaks out
Andrea Hancock, Chorny's mother, said in a social media post that her daughter is a "severely unwell person."
Hancock wrote that she and Chorny's father have been desperately trying for years to get Chorny help, including calling police, doctors and child protective services.
"I kept telling everyone that she was a danger if she isn't on medication and I said I'm scared that something will happen to someone if she loses touch completely," Hancock wrote.
She said Chorny was homeless and not living at home because of safety concerns for her other child.
Premier's comments
On Sunday evening, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston took to social media to express his condolences to the family of the boy who was stabbed.
"I struggle to fully express my outrage and sadness at learning about this attack on an innocent child in Halifax," he said on X.
Cromwell said the stabbing Sunday happened outside in an area with bus shelters. Police are asking anyone who may have video of the area around the time of the incident to contact them directly.
Patricio Garcia, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 508, confirmed the stabbing happened at the bus terminal at Scotia Square.
"It's definitely concerning that something like this would happen in the middle of broad daylight," said Garcia in an interview Monday.
Garcia said the report he received indicated that a bus driver witnessed the stabbing.
He said the terminal at Scotia Square does not have a supervisor or security guard on site, unlike other busy terminals near the Macdonald Bridge in Dartmouth and in Sackville. Those locations each have a supervisor and a security guard at night, which has led to a reduction in incidents, he said.
But Garcia noted Sunday's stabbing shows not all violence happens after dark.
"That kind of a presence helps deter a lot of things from happening," he said. "It's certainly something I'd like to see at all terminals."
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With files from Gareth Hampshire and Blair Rhodes
