Brandon Volpi, Ottawa student, dead after prom night stabbing
An 18-year-old student has died from injuries suffered in a stabbing outside the Les Suites Hotel in downtown Ottawa, where students say a fight broke out during a prom night after-party.
Ottawa police and paramedics responded to the 100 block of Besserer Street at about 3:35 a.m. ET Saturday for a reported stabbing.
They found one victim with serious injuries and another with minor injuries.
Danny Volpi confirmed to CBC News his son, Brandon, died in hospital after he was stabbed in the throat and chest. He also said Brandon was a Grade 12 student at St. Patrick's Catholic High School.
"To my dear son may you rest in peace. I miss you with all my heart. May justice be served and find who killed my son," Danny Volpi wrote on Facebook on Saturday.
Volpi also said his son was involved in many sports teams, including rugby and football.
Students who spoke to CBC News said a fight broke out during a prom night after-party, which led to the stabbing. One student said she saw paramedics try to save Volpi outside the hotel.
“I heard screaming from inside my room and I came running outside and I saw a bunch of people screaming. There was a guy holding his neck leaning up against the statue," said Grade 12 student Megan Desabrais, who's graduating from St. Pius.
Some also said students from three Catholic high schools in the city's south end — St. Joseph's, St. Pius X and St. Patrick's — were staying at the hotel.
Police said a second victim was treated at hospital and later released.
The Ottawa police major crimes section is investigating the homicide, which is the city's third of 2014.
On Saturday afternoon, police said they were still looking for a suspect and nobody was in custody. They said it's likely alcohol was involved in the incident.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board also released a statement Saturday after the stabbing.
"With sadness, we can confirm that the victim was a student at St. Patrick’s High School," read the statement from spokeswoman Mardi de Kemp.
"The board will be co-operating fully with the ongoing police investigation. School and board counselling staff have been contacted and will be available for students and staff for as long as needed. The school community will be praying for the victim and family."
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Ottawa police at 613-236-1222, ext. 5493 or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477.
