Friends of a man who died following an aggravated assault on the Halifax waterfront Sunday night are mourning his loss.
Halifax police responded to the incident on the waterfront boardwalk near the 1500 block of Lower Water Street around 9:40 p.m. Sunday. The 26-year-old was taken to hospital, where he later died.
Police have not identified the victim, but friends say he was Davelle Desmond of Dartmouth.
One of his friends, Makayla Noble Hartlen, said she “completely broke down” Monday when she heard about what happened.
“I felt numb, I didn’t know how to feel. It didn’t really feel real,” she said.
Hartlen said she and Desmond met about eight years ago through mutual friends and used to hang out together in the downtown area and on the Dartmouth waterfront.
She described him as a protective person who would put his loved ones before himself.
She said she used to stay in a safe house, where Desmond would come visit and bring her coffee to cheer her up.
“His energy was so uplifting and positive all the time, no matter what the circumstances were,” she said.
“He always lit up the room and cheered everybody up. He was so energetic and just so happy all the time.”
He enjoyed dancing, jamming to music and rapping, said Hartlen.
What’s especially devastating, she said, is that Desmond was expecting a child with his girlfriend.
“It just broke my heart, honestly,” said Hartlen, a new mom herself. “It completely tore me apart because I don’t know how I would feel if I was in that situation.”
For now, as she and her friends mourn, they are focused on offering love and support to Desmond’s family and girlfriend.
While there are few details about what happened Sunday night, Hartlen said she is angry and upset.
“Whoever did that needs to have consequences,” she said.
‘Heartless act of violence’
Another friend, Karen Fredericks, said in a Facebook message that she met Desmond about six years ago and he was a “breath of fresh air.”
“I saw him a few months ago he told me that he was going to be a dad and how happy he was,” she wrote.
“It was really hard to find out that he had passed away from such a heartless act of violence. Davelle never hurt anyone … he was looking forward to being a dad, and now he won’t ever get that chance.
“His memories are all I have now. He will be missed by everyone who knew him.”
On Tuesday, Halifax Regional Police spokesperson Const. John MacLeod could not provide an update about any potential suspects, but asked that anyone with information contact police at 902-490-5020.
“We know there were people in the area, and we are asking that anyone who has information that hasn’t spoken to our investigators yet, they should contact police,” he said.
“Certainly, at this point, our condolences go out to this man and his family.”
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