Saskatoon’s latest homicide victim has been identified as community volunteer Brandon Applegate.
In a social media post, the Students Commission of Canada (SCC) said the 22-year-old was a “loving father of four young children.”
“We will never forget his infectious smile and the way he made everyone feel safe and welcomed. He will be deeply missed,” the Toronto-based charity’s Facebook post states.
Applegate attended an SCC conference in 2017 and was an employee in 2019. He also volunteered his time to help with activities, and youth groups for the organization.
“More recently, he supported the Saskatoon team in coordinating and facilitating the Saskatoon Opportunities for Youth (SOFY) collective impact group through the pandemic,” according to the post.
Around 7:20 a.m. Sunday, Saskatoon police got a call about a man injured at a business near the corner of Clarence Avenue and 8th Street East. Police found the 22-year-old lying in the road at the intersection.
He died in hospital. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
Applegate also contributed to the Safe Community Action Alliance’s Crystal Meth Working Group (CMWG). In February, he spoke to Global News Morning about the need for a 24/7 youth centre.
“It would just help so many of the kids that fall through the cracks when it isn’t business hours,” Applegate said at the time.
“This way, they’ll have a spot. They can just go there.”
In a statement, CMWG co-ordinator Colleen Christopherson-Cote called Applegate “a vibrant and opinionated youth leader, who spoke the truth and shared his expertise to ensure that youth voice was heard loud and clear when the CMWG set out to make recommendations to alleviate the crystal meth crisis in Saskatoon.”
He was empathetic and understanding, which helped inform the CMWG’s work, Christopherson-Cote said. He was also “mature beyond his years.”
“He had tremendous capacity to open hearts and change minds and the charisma that ensured his voice was heard.”
Saskatoon police’s major crime and forensic identification sections continue to investigate. Anyone with information should call police at 306-975-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477
Applegate was the nephew of Tyler Applegate, who was murdered in 2017 when he was shot while standing the backyard of his Westview duplex.