Charge laid in Eabametoong double stabbing investigation
UPDATE: It is likely that the charge of Aggravated Assault will be changed to charges of homicide as one of the victims of the attack has died as a result of the injuries.
EABAMETOONG FIRST NATION — A 19-year-old man has now been charged following the serious assault investigation in Eabametoong First Nation that left two men with life-threatening injuries over the weekend.
Earlier police information said two injured people were found after officers responded to an assault call on Albany River Crescent and both were airlifted to hospital.
Aggravated assault charges follow early-morning call
Police had previously said Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service officers responded at about 3:35 a.m. on Sunday, March 29, and located two people with life-threatening injuries. The OPP North West Region Crime Unit was then called in to assist NAPS, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch.
In updated information provided to NetNewsLedger, the accused is identified as Sampson Wabano, 19, who is now charged with two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the stabbing of two men.
What the charge means under the Criminal Code
Aggravated assault is one of the most serious assault offences in the Criminal Code. Under section 268, the offence applies where a person wounds, maims, disfigures or endangers the life of a complainant. It is an indictable offence carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
If there is a conviction, the sentence can vary widely depending on the injuries, the use of a weapon, the circumstances of the attack, the offender’s record and any aggravating or mitigating factors. In Canada, judges must also apply the general sentencing principles in section 718.2 of the Criminal Code, including restraint and, where applicable, particular attention to the circumstances of Indigenous offenders.
All charges must be proven in court. The accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Why this matters in Northwestern Ontario
Cases like this underline the realities of policing and emergency response in remote First Nations. In Eabametoong, as in other fly-in communities, a serious stabbing can quickly become a major regional investigation involving local NAPS officers, OPP crime units, forensic teams and air medical transport to larger centres. That often means the criminal case itself also shifts south to Thunder Bay-area courts and correctional facilities.
What comes next
Police have said more information will be released as it becomes available. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
