Federal prosecutors are aiming to have the case of a teenager who allegedly assaulted another student at a Brandon high school with a sword in June 2025 classified as a terrorist act. Crown Jennifer Comack stated in correspondence with CBC that they plan to apply a Criminal Code provision related to terrorist activities, carrying a mandatory life imprisonment sentence upon conviction.
The accused, who was 16 years old at the time of the incident, initially faced charges including attempted murder, threats, weapon assault, possession of a dangerous weapon, and disguise with intent following the attack on June 10, 2025, at Neelin High School. The victim, a Grade 10 student of Nigerian descent, sustained severe injuries to his hands, chest, and thigh.
Brandon Police Chief Tyler Bates later described the assault as a premeditated attack targeting individuals of color and immigrants. Due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the teen’s identity cannot be disclosed, and the allegations against them remain unproven in court.
In September, Crown prosecutors announced their intention to pursue an adult sentence for the accused, with two weapon assault charges upgraded to attempted murder, resulting in three attempted murder charges. The maximum penalty for adult attempted murder is life imprisonment.
According to a spokesperson from the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, the same Criminal Code provision was previously invoked in cases involving individuals like Mohamed Abdullah Warsame, a Canadian citizen of Somali descent arrested for uttering threats in June 2025. Warsame subsequently faced additional charges related to a terrorist hoax against Montreal’s subway system, potentially leading to a life sentence if convicted.
The spokesperson also mentioned a previous case where a youth, Oguzhan Sert, was sentenced as an adult for a violent crime committed shortly before turning 18. Sert received this sentence for the murder of Ashley Arzaga and attempted murder of another woman in 2023, following an attack inspired by incel ideologies in February 2020.
The trial for the accused in the Neelin High School assault is set to commence on June 7, 2027.