CALGARY – Police have laid charges against a fifth person in connection to a deadly downtown stabbing.
18-year-old Lukas Strasser-Hird was killed in a violent altercation between two groups in a Beltline alley on Saturday, November 23, 2013.
On Tuesday, police arrested 29-year-old Jordan Lee Liao in connection with the death, charging him with second-degree murder.
“This person was present early in the investigation,” says S/Sgt. Grant Miller. “With so many people involved, it just took us time to determine what exact evidence we had, and what it meant.”
Strasser-Hird and his friends had become involved in a flight outside Vinyl nightclub just before his death. Bar staff separated the two groups, ushering Strasser-Hird and his associates to the back door to let them leave safely.
However, the two groups met again in the alley, sparking a second fight.
Police found Strasser-Hird suffering from life-threatening injuries in the 200 block of 10 Avenue S.W. around 2:45 a.m. He was rushed to hospital where he later died.
Police had already charged four people with Strasser-Hird’s death.
18-year-old Nathan Gervais is charged with first-degree murder while 19-year-old Franz Emir Cabrera, 20-year-old Joch Pouk and 20-year-old Assmar Ryiad Shlah are charged with second-degree murder.
Previously, police had asked the public to send them videos or pictures of the altercation, which they say did help further their investigation.
“We’ve seized a great deal of video from the area, and the surrounding area,” says S/Sgt. Grant Miller. “We’ve spoke with dozens of people who were present during this instance. We are still trying to speak to others.”
Strasser-Hird’s mother, Audrey, released the following statement on Wednesday:
“First of all, we would like to extend our gratitude to all the detectives and police that have been working on Lukas’ case. This is the first statement we have made to the media since this tragedy has occurred. It has been noted in all the media statements that Lukas was involved in 2 altercations the evening the event occurred. We would like to state that based on all the information we have gathered from friends and bystanders that Lukas was defending someone from a racial statement that was made against them the evening he passed. We raised a child that was adamant about defending anyone that was being bullied or disrespected. Lukas was always vocal even if he put himself at risk in a situation. He would have taken a punch for anyone, friend or stranger alike.
It breaks my heart as a mother that all the good we taught him and his own personal beliefs to defend someone was to his detriment. All we have left of Lukas are his memories, his life was stolen in a matter of moments. He was a young man that had so much to offer our society. He was born to make a difference in this world filled with hate and violence. I will do everything in my power to ensure my sons legacy is carried on. The men that took his life deserve to live a life that is filled with regret for what they have taken,not only from us as his family but the life that Lukas deserved. He deserved to live a life filled with love, a family, to have the opportunity to become a father, to have traveled the world and to have enjoyed a future of his choosing. We ask that ANYONE with further information of that night please come forward.”
Comments