Murder charge laid in Ethan Bespflug stabbing

A 20-year-old Burnaby man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of Ethan Bespflug on a bus in Surrey.

The 17-year-old died after he was stabbed on a bus in Surrey the night of April 11. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) says the victim and suspect “were known to each other through a third party.”

According to online court documents, Kaiden Brady Robert Mintenko is charged with second-degree murder. He was scheduled to appear in court Monday.

IHIT Sgt. Timothy Pierotti says work continues to “determine the exact nature of the relationship between Mr. Bespflug and the accused.”

“The individual that was arrested does have an association to the deceased,” Pierotti said.

“It’s still early in the investigation and we’re still speaking to as many people as possible. What I can say is we have established that there is a connection and therefore we believe this was not a random attack.”

He notes the arrest was made Sunday, April 16. The suspect “was known to police,” Pierotti adds.

“This male remains in custody right now,” he said Monday, April 17.

A motive has not been determined.

Related articles: 

• TransLink safety in focus after teen stabbed; CEO condemns violence

• B.C. may provide additional resources as transit police, RCMP step up patrols: Eby

• ‘It doesn’t seem real’: Family of Surrey stabbing victim mourns teen’s death

“As being the parent of a teenager myself, this is absolutely heartbreaking,” Surrey RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards said.

“After all these years of being a police officer, I still struggle with the senselessness of certain crimes. This is one of those crimes.”

Ethan was identified as the stabbing victim a day after the incident. Investigators have said the teen suffered life-threatening injuries after an “assault with a weapon” aboard a Coast Mountain bus in the area of King George Boulevard and 100th Avenue.

He was taken to the hospital, where he later died of his injuries.

“He didn’t deserve this at all,” his mother, Holly Indridson, previously told CityNews. “I’ve lost all my family — my mom, my dad, my aunts, my uncle, my grandparents, and now this? My kids were all that I have,” Indridson said, breaking down. “I literally asked God, ‘please never touch my children, it’s all I have.’ Life is so unfair.”

Ethan Bespflug, 17, has been identified as the victim who died after a stabbing on a Surrey bus the evening of April 11. (Courtesy GoFundMe)

The stabbing has renewed calls for increased safety on the Metro Vancouver public transit system. Prior to the fatal stabbing, there had been several violent incidents reported on SkyTrains and buses.

Addressing safety concerns in Surrey and at transit hubs, Edwards says the RCMP will “work closely” with its partners.

“Secondly, we have immediately increased patrols by reassigning our Mobile Street Enforcement Team to these areas. We need to show a visible presence to reassure members of the public,” he explained.

“Lastly, the investigative and intelligence-led approach to prolific offenders using transit will be front stage to address these issues as we move forward. Such violence, it generates fear in our community. As such, I remain committed to a direct approach as I’ve stated.”

Longer term, Edwards says “the root causes” of such incidents need to be examined.