Family, friends hail teen as a 'hero' after he was fatally stabbed at Mississauga house party
A teen who was fatally stabbed at a house party in Mississauga on Saturday is being hailed as a hero by friends and family.
Police have identified the 19-year-old as Daniel Smith.
Peel Regional Police said they received a call about the stabbing at a home on Tradewind Drive, near Winston Churchill Boulevard and Derry Road West, at about 1:15 a.m. on Saturday morning.
When officers arrived, they found the young Mississauga man suffering from "obvious signs of trauma," police said in a news release on Saturday.
Smith was rushed to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries, police said.
Peel Regional Police are still looking for a suspect.
Claude Gauthier, who lives across the street from where the party was held, said he was awakened by the screams of the partygoers as they exited the house.
"At 1:30 when they all came out screaming, the kids were all on the street and the police were arriving. That's when we woke up," he told CBC Toronto.
"They were terrified."
Const. Bancroft Wright, spokesperson for Peel Regional Police, said police are looking into a theory that Smith was killed trying to break up a fight.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family of the teen, which has already raised more than $9,000.
"Daniel lost his life as a hero on the night of May 25," a note on the fundraising page reads.
"He was helping when no one else would and because of that he lost his life."
Classmates, friends and family held a candlelight vigil in his honour last night.
Adham Yasein said he became acquainted with Smith four years ago when his brother and Smith played on the same soccer team.
"He was a great kid. Everyone's confused and worried. Like, why did this even happen to him? Great kid, just gone," Yasein said Sunday.
Investigators are appealing for anyone with dashboard camera video, surveillance video or with other information to call Peel police's homicide and missing persons bureau at (905) 453-2121, ext. 3205.
