Police release image of accused in Abbotsford school stabbings
Posted November 3, 2016 10:10 am.
Last Updated November 3, 2016 2:19 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
ABBOTSFORD (NEWS 1130) – Homicide investigators are hoping somebody has information about the 21-year-old man charged in connection to the random and deadly stabbing of a young girl at a high school in Abbotsford on Tuesday. They’ve released a CCTV image of Gabriel Brandon Klein taken just hours before the attack at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School.
The suspect was subdued by staff at the school quickly after the attack and held until officers arrived just minutes later. Klein has been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault for the attack on a second teen at the school.
Police say Klein is of “no fixed address,” and has been in Metro Vancouver off and on over the past several months. They say he appears to be from Alberta but doesn’t have a criminal record.
“We’re looking for anyone who has been in contact with Mr. Klein, whether it be in face-to-face contact, through social media or through emails,” says Staff Sergeant Jennifer Pound. “We want to speak with those individuals.”
Meantime, we are learning more about the 13-year-old girl killed in the attack. She has been identified as Letisha Reimer. Members of her church say she was someone who brought a ray of sunshine into a lot of lives. They add she generously gave her time and energy to the community.
There is also a GoFundMe page set up for the victim’s family, which has already well exceeded its $10,000 goal.
The other girl attacked during Tuesday’s chaos is 14-years-old and she’s still in the hospital in stable condition. There is a publication ban on her name.
Once again, police and the victims’ families are pleading with people not to share a short video of the incident on social media, saying it’s traumatic for those affected by this week’s event.
The district says the school will remain closed until at least November 7th and that support services are being offered at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church at 33333 Mayfair Avenue from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Anyone with information about Klein is asked to call IHIT at 1.877.551.4448.
