Ontario mayor more concerned about suspected teen killer than murdered elderly woman

Ashe said the boy, who was not named due to his age, was affected by the “burden of mental health” and added that the arrest was “very troubling” because of the effect it will have on the rest of his life. That comment appeared in an earlier edition of CTV's story. The boy has been charged with first degree murder. “I’m shocked that a person so young has so much hate in them,” Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe told reporters Thursday.

“First of all, this suspect should be charged as an adult," Robinson said. "It was clearly a premeditated murder. He was searching through the neighborhood for potential victims. He was wearing a trenchcoat because he was obviously preparing to be covered with blood. This is absolutely insane for the mayor to be giving condolences to anyone but the family and friends of the victim."

Ashe's comments prompted Robinson to label the mayor as "disgraceful" and his comments "absolutely insane." Ashe and Robinson have repeatedly clashed during the last three years over the city's woke, trans-friendly policies and the mayor has tried to have Robinson removed from council.

The elderly woman was gardening in front of her home in Pickering, a city lying just east of Toronto, at approximately 3 pm when she was approached and repeatedly stabbed. The victim was found when she was sighted by a passerby. An ambulance took her to the hospital but despite efforts to save her life at a trauma center, the woman was declared dead. Police located and arrested the suspect “without incident” at 8:30 pm after a local manhunt

Acting staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe told reporters that police are investigating reports that the suspect was actively searching the neighborhood for potential victims in the weeks before the murder.

“This is something that I think ... is going to impact this community for a very long time,” McCabe told reporters at the scene. McCabe said the boy and victim were talking together before the attack occurred.

Robinson expressed outrage that the mayor seemed to be more concerned about the suspect than the victim or her family and friends. "An elderly woman was brutally stabbed to death in broad daylight, and your first concern is the impact this will have on her killer?" She said.

“That is one of the most disgraceful, tone-deaf, and insulting statements I’ve ever heard from someone elected to lead. A woman was murdered in our city. A life was taken. A family shattered. A community is grieving. And yet you chose to center your sympathy on the person who committed this horrific act?

“Mental health is a serious issue—no one denies that. But there is a time and a place to address it. That time was not while standing over the memory of a woman whose life was violently taken. Your comment dishonours the victim, disrespects her loved ones, and shows a disturbing lack of judgment," she went on.

“Leadership means standing with victims, not making excuses for violence.”

Robinson, who has clashed with the mayor on several occasions over freedom of speech issues, said Ashe is fond of posing as an advocate of those suffering from mental health issues but she said this is at odds with his habit of calling her supporters “crazy” or “nut cases.”

“It’s just gross hypocrisy,” Robinson said.

Video shows the suspect walking towards the victim’s home and then returning.