Advertisement

Father of suspect in Rinelle Harper attack 'ashamed' of his son

Police handout photograph of assault victim Rinelle Harper

The father of one of the suspects in a vicious attack on 16-year-old Rinelle Harper last weekend wonders if his son's life would have been different if he had stayed with his father.

Brian McKay's son, 20-year-old Justin Hudson, is charged with attempted murder after Harper was allegedly assaulted twice last weekend and left for dead by the Assiniboine River.

A 17-year-old whose identity is protected by law is also accused in the case.

McKay said he learned late Tuesday about the charges against his son.

Hudson is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.

McKay said, nevertheless, it was tough news to hear.

"I'm ashamed of what he did, you know," he said. "Maybe it would have been different if I raised him myself."

McKay said his son left Berens River, where McKay still lives, when he was a boy.

Hudson was raised by his mother's family in Winnipeg.

McKay wonders what his son was exposed to in the city.

"There was a lot of parties in that place where he was growing up in," he said. "And there was a lot of gang members around, all that kind of stuff."

Hudson and the 17-year-old are also accused of another attack on a 23-year old woman over the weekend.