Number 6 in NEWS 1130’s Top 10 of 2016

ABBOTSFORD (NEWS 1130) – It was an act of violence made all the more shocking because it was random.

On November 1st of this year, a young man entered Abbotsford Senior Secondary School and attacked two grade 9 girls with a knife, stabbing one of them to death and sending the school into a state of lockdown.

Gabriel Klein, a 21-year-old drifter from Alberta, was quickly subdued by teachers until police arrived minutes later.

“Mr. Klein is of no fixed address. We know that he frequents the Vancouver area and has been in the Vancouver area since approximately March of this year. There’s very limited information we have on Mr. Klein,” said Staff Sergeant Jennifer Pound with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, a day after the knife attack. “We do not believe that the suspect has ties to the school, to the two girls or to the Abbotsford community.”

One of the girls stabbed recovered from her injuries, the other was 13-year-old Letisha Reimer who was killed.

The stabbing resulted in a lockdown that lasted hours, sending parents into a panic and once things calmed down it left many students and staff in a state of shock. “She was really nice. I saw her every day and she talked to me all the time. I feel sick to my stomach that anyone would ever do this,” said one of Remier’s schoolmates after students were released.

Abbotsford Senior Secondary remained closed for days as staff and students were offered grief counselling and a memorial grew outside. When classes resumed on November 7th under strict security, it was an emotional for many. “I don’t really feel 100 per cent safe. I feel like the threat is still there but, then again, the threat is everywhere,” said one grade 11 student.

“I guess we are still in mourning because we lost someone. A few days isn’t going to take that away.”

Support from the community was widespread and a number of vigils and a memorial services for Reimer were packed.

Pastor Matt Ewert at the South Abbotsford Church says Reimer was passionate about helping others. “You couldn’t be around her and not have some of [her energy] rub off on you and just feel some incredible joy and happiness about life,” he told NEWS 1130.

Students and staff at Abbotsford Senior Secondary began wearing “Abby Strong” T-shirts in solidarity after Reimer’s death.

The organizer of the initiative designed the shirts and helped raise money to have them printed and distributed at the school. Proceeds from subsequent sales of the shirts and bumper stickers have gone toward families of the victims of the stabbing.

Klein has been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault but refused to engage in the court process for weeks, remaining mute and unresponsive until November 21st when he finally acknowledged he understood what he was facing and that a lawyer would be appointed.

The case is set to resume January 27th.