Peel Regional Police say a 63-year-old man was stabbed to death and his 40-year-old son was injured in Brampton early Friday after confronting thieves in their neighbourhood.
Police said they received a call around 2:20 a.m. for reports of a stabbing on Lanebrook Drive in the area of Goreway and Castlemore drives, where they located two men on the street with stab wounds.
The 63-year-old man died from his injuries and his son was rushed to a trauma centre, though has since been released from hospital.
Peel police Acting Supt. Martin Ottaway told reporters Friday afternoon that investigators believe the two men were stabbed after they confronted a group of males committing thefts in their neighbourhood.
“This was people just trying to stop a minor property offence that escalated to the point of becoming a homicide,” Ottaway said. “Very tragic.”
Speaking to Global News Friday afternoon, family identified the victim who was fatally stabbed as Glensbert Oliver, a father of four and grandfather of three.
Noretta Campbell, Oliver’s sister-in-law, said she has been told that he woke up around 2 a.m. when his son arrived home from work.
Noretta said Oliver went downstairs to make a cup of tea and later sat on the porch with his son.
It was then, Noretta said, that the two men noticed a group of males allegedly breaking into vehicles in the area.
She said the males then approached Oliver’s son’s vehicle, at which point a confrontation occurred.
Another suspect jumped out of a nearby van and began stabbing the two men during the confrontation, and Oliver was stabbed in the neck, Noretta said.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“They took away a grandfather, a father, a man, a husband, a friend. This man would do anything for you without even charging you a penny,” said Desmond Campbell, Oliver’s brother-in-law.
“It’s ridiculous. Now who suffers? All his family.”
Noretta said Oliver’s wife is devastated by his death.
Meanwhile, police said they are searching for upwards of five males in connection with the incident, ranging in age from their late teens to early 20s.
Supt. Ottaway said they were seen fleeing the area in a dark-coloured SUV.
“I strongly encourage the people involved to contact legal counsel and to turn yourselves in,” Ottaway said. “It is only a matter of time until we identify those involved and arrests will be made.”
He added that investigators have collected “several key pieces of video”.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 905-453-2121, ext. 3205 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.