The family of a 17-year-old boy fatally stabbed on a transit bus in Surrey Tuesday night have identified him as Ethan Bespflug.
Bespflug died following an altercation on a bus on 100th Avenue and King George Boulevard around 9:30 p.m.
Andrea Van Der Gracht, the teen’s aunt, told Global News that Bespflug was a regular transit user and was busing home when he was killed.
She said he’d texted his mother saying he was being threatened by a group of youth and was scared about 30 minutes before the incident.
“He was a good kid. He had four younger sisters and brothers. He worked. He went to school. He got good grades. He wasn’t in trouble. He wasn’t a bad kid. The fact that he ended up in this situation is horrible,” she said.
“It could be any of our kids now, you know, sitting on a bus just going to meet your mom shouldn’t mean that you’re going to lose your life.”
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A GoFundMe has now been set up to help the family.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, which has taken control of the investigation, said Wednesday that no arrests have been made.
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Footage from the scene Tuesday night showed first responders performing CPR on the victim.
IHIT said the killing appeared to be an “isolated incident” and was not connected to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict.
Surrey RCMP said the initial investigation revealed an “altercation” happened between two people on the bus, which resulted in the male victim being stabbed.
Police said there was nothing to indicate this incident is connected to a slashing on a bus in Surrey on April 1.
“Thankfully there were a lot of people in the area who were able to provide us with information on who that individual is,” Sgt. Timothy Pierotti of IHIT said Wednesday.
Anyone with more information, including dash cam footage around the area of King George Boulevard between 98B Avenue and 102nd Avenue, is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 and quote file# 23-55729.
Cpl. Vanessa Munn with Surrey RCMP said officers will be stepping up patrols around transit hubs and in the area, along with Transit police.
She said although crime in Surrey is down 14 per cent this year, patrols will be done in certain areas to ensure safety.
“As a parent, this is every parent’s worst nightmare and incredibly tragic,” she said. “We’re doing everything we can to ensure our community feels safe.”
Munn added that anyone on board the bus or who saw the incident can call victim services for help.
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