MONTREAL – Ten days after a 16-year-old Dorval boy was killed in his home, his family and friends will lay to rest “an incredibly sweet person who had a smile for everyone.”
“He is happy all the time, he is very polite and had a kind word for everyone,” said a staff member at Lakeside Academy in Lachine, where the teenager was a Grade 11 student.
The young man’s name cannot be published because his 12-year-old brother, who has been charged with the killing, is a minor and can’t be identified.
The day before Thursday’s funeral, the school staff member talked about how the teen will be remembered.
“All the kids said afterwards that he was always smiling for everybody,” the employee recalled.
“He was very generous of spirit. He would stop by to see teachers he knows and say good morning to them.”
Although the teen wasn’t very active in clubs at school, he did enjoy the cooking classes the school offered. “He was great at that and loved it,” the staff member said.
Several people who spoke about the boys did not want their names published because they do not want to offend the family. The boys’ parents have not spoken publicly about the shooting.
A West Island man, who has known the boys for many years, said the brothers got along very well.
“They were not aggressive with each other and there was no great sibling rivalry,” said the man, who also spoke on condition that his name not be published. “They were very nice boys.”
The man described the 16-year-old as a “very gentle soul who was polite and very helpful.” He said the younger boy was “a little protective of his older brother,” partly because the 16-year-old had learning difficulties.
When he first heard news reports about the bizarre shooting, the man said, he couldn’t bring himself to believe it was the two boys he knew. The behaviour was completely out of character, he said.
“They were always playing together and they played soccer together,” he said.
Like many people who know the boys, the man said he can’t fathom how the shooting could have been anything other than a terrible accident.
The location of the boy’s funeral has not been made public, but the 12-year-old has been given permission to attend on “compassionate grounds.”
He will be accompanied by two employees of Batshaw Youth and Family Centres.
The 12-year-old has been held in a youth detention centre since his older sibling was fatally shot. He is facing charges of manslaughter and possession of a prohibited weapon.
The prosecutor said she will oppose bail because of the seriousness of the charges and the safety of the public. A date for his bail hearing probably will be set at a court appearance next week.
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