Emotions run high at vigil for teen stabbed on Surrey bus

In the cold, under a grey sky, dozens of friends, family, and complete strangers huddled together on Tuesday evening to hold a candlelight vigil for a teen who died after being stabbed on a public transit bus in Surrey last week.

Emotions ran high as calls for change grew louder to address public safety.

The vigil was held in Holland Park, around King George Boulevard and 100th Avenue, near the scene where 17-year-old Ethan Bespflug was attacked last Tuesday.

Ethan Bespflug’s mother was comforted by friends, family, and strangers Tuesday at a candlelight vigil for her son who died after being stabbed on a bus in Surrey last week. (CityNews)

“When they’re so young and they leave before us, it’s hard,” says Melanie Lecoy, who attended the event.

Lecoy is among those who are calling for action to improve public safety.

“This young man didn’t have a chance. He was a really good, well-mannered young man, from what everyone’s been saying here. It’s just really, really sad. We got to treasure him. We have to say his name. We got to celebrate him. What a beautiful human being if I’ve ever seen one. Wow, what a great young man,” she said.

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Others spoke out to say Bespflug’s death was not only a life taken too soon but a reminder to love those around you. “To everyone in this park, you want to make sure you stay beside people you love. Spend all the time you can with them because you never know when it’s going to be their time.”

A celebration of life for the teenager is being held on Thursday.

The vigil took place one day after the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) announced an arrest and second-degree murder charge in the case. A 20-year-old man from Burnaby was picked up by officers less than a week after the killing. Kaiden Mintenko appeared in his first court appearance on Monday.

“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,” said IHIT Sgt. Tim Pierotti, adding they’re still working on the motive.

The moments leading up to Bespflug’s death are heartbreaking.

His mother says she was at home waiting for an update from him, so she knew when to leave the house to pick him up as he rode the bus. Saying he was texting her while on the bus and said he felt scared. She soon tracked her son’s phone to Royal Columbian Hospital, where he later died of his injuries. Describing him as kind and gentle, she says he was the best brother ever.

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Fireworks over public safety in B.C. Legislature

For the second day in a row, public safety dominated discussions in the B.C. Legislature.

Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Peter Milobar used comments from a senior police officer in the province to rip the NDP government.

“He said, ‘We’ve lost sight of the victims. I don’t know if we’d even call it a justice system anymore.’ That’s a chief of police acknowledging that he feels we do not have a justice system anymore in this province under this premier’s watch. When will the premier finally put the rights of victims and people to be safe, ahead of those who continue to re-offend on a daily basis?”

Solicitor General Mike Farnworth didn’t like those comments and attempted to turn the tables.

Today in question period, the Public Safety Minister appeared angry when I said this government is failing to address the root causes of the violence happening across BC – but the results speak for themselves. #bcpoli https://t.co/peFD30zI61

— Elenore Sturko (@elenoresturko) April 18, 2023

“The last time the [BC] United Party was in government, they made those cuts to health care, to mental health services. They made those cuts to sexual assault centres, they did irreparable damage to the social service sector which provides the supports they now want to see in place.”

The back and forth continued with Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford who went directly after Premier David Eby.

“It’s the premier’s failure to do his job when he was Attorney General and to do his job now as he is premier, to keep people safe whether they’re walking the streets or whether they’re using public transit. This premier has seen an explosion of random violence under his watch, and it continues every single day.”

Farnworth, who began shouting, went back to blaming the BC United Party.

“On this side of the House, we know that it is about the root causes of crime, which is why we’ve been taking actions to undo the neglect, the negligence of that side,” Farnworth yelled.

Things got so heated at times during the debate, the Speaker of the House had to tell MLAs to quiet down.