The teenage victim of a brutal and seemingly random attack earlier this week in New Westminster has now died from his injuries.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is now recommending murder charges against a 16-year-old suspect who was previously charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon, according to Sgt. Bari Emam.
Karim Meskine, 19, was found unconscious by a passerby near 23rd Street and 8th Avenue on Tuesday night after an apparent violent robbery, police said.
He died Friday night in hospital.
“Karim was the innocent victim of an unprovoked attack and was found unconscious by a passerby who called 911 for help. Karim’s family are devastated by this incident and are at a loss for words. This is one of the saddest cases I have been a part of all these years at IHIT,” Emam said.
He said Karim’s family is “doing the best they can” at this time. “They really are in shock.”
The suspect turned himself into police shortly after the robbery.
Emam said they are hoping more witnesses will come forward and they will be able to gather more information in order to provide Crown counsel with more information on what happened.
Friends and family of the 19-year-old are turning to social media to remember him.
A page, R.I.P. Karim, has been set up on Facebook for those who want to post messages. A trust fund has also been set up. Anyone can donate at any TD Canada Trust Branch and donors can use the branch number 9028 along with account number 6083916.
Friends are also posting messages on Twitter:
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