THUNDER BAY -- City police have confirmed the identity of the victim in a fatal weekend stabbing outside of a movie theatre.
Thunder Bay Police Service officials say Daniel Levac, 20, of Sachigo Lake, died Friday night after an incident outside of the Silvercity movie theatre. The victim’s identity had been previously made public through social and local media, but Monday’s announcement was the first official confirmation.
Nishnawbe Aski Nations crisis teams have been dispatched to help students at Dennis Franklin Cromarty, the school the victim attended, cope with the tragic news.
Those crisis teams join DFC teachers and staff members who are now offering students support. School Principal Jonathan Kakegamic told CKPR Radio Monday that the community of Thunder Bay had stepped forward in a positive way in the aftermath of the tragedy.
“I know they say it's a rough city and that there’s a lot of racism,” Kakegamic said through tears,” but I believe that the people of Thunder Bay have really showed their support to our students and the school.”
Kakegamic also confirmed that some students are now heading back to their home communities.
“We did send Sachigo Lake students home,” he said, “just because of the trauma and the sudden loss of a fellow student. It was our decision to do that, but we are not closing the school.”
The suspect, 19-year-old Shane Patrick Ashpanaquestcum of Summer Beaver First Nation, has been charged with second-degree murder. He made a brief court appearance Saturday morning and was remanded into custody at the Thunder Bay District Jail.
Police say the victim and accused were not known to each other and that alcohol was a factor.
Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Unit have interviewed multiple witnesses who were at the theatre at the time of the incident.
The theatre remained closed for business on Saturday as a result of the incident.
Ashpanaquestcum is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Oct. 14.
Anyone who witnessed the incident and has not already spoken with detectives are asked to contact city police.
