B.C. premier says he’s ‘white-hot angry’ that stabbing suspect was on day pass from psychiatric hospital
Premier David Eby┬аsays he is “white-hot angry” that the┬аman charged in a triple stabbing in Vancouver’s Chinatown was out on a day pass from a psychiatric hospital despite his history of knife attacks┬аand murder.
“I am so angry. I am white-hot angry┬аthat this person was released unaccompanied into the community to have a devastating impact on all of the hard work of these community members,” said Eby┬аon Tuesday morning.
Blair Evan Donnelly, 64,┬аis in custody┬аcharged with three counts of aggravated assault. He is accused of stabbing a husband and wife┬аin their 60s and a woman in her early 20s at the Light Up Chinatown festival on Sunday.┬аTheir injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
In 2008, Donnelly was found┬аnot criminally responsible┬аfor killing his┬а16-year-old daughter Stephanie because of a mental disorder, and he was incarcerated at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam, B.C.┬а
David Eby says the B.C. government will look into how the man charged in a triple stabbing at a Chinatown festival was granted unaccompanied day release from a psychiatric facility.
Donnelly had been charged with second-degree murder for his daughter’s death in┬аKitimat, B.C., in 2006 and pleaded not guilty.
At trial, the court heard testimony that Donnelly thought God wanted him to kill his daughter, who was an accomplished figure skater and coach┬аin the community.┬аHe was later found praying outside a local church with blood on his hands.
During an unescorted release from the Coquitlam facility in 2009, he stabbed a friend.
“I cannot fathom how someone who murdered his daughter was released in 2009, went out and stabbed somebody else,┬аwould then be released again, unaccompanied, [was] somehow able to go out and buy a knife, and then go to Chinatown and stab three people,” said Eby.
“How is that possible?”
The psychiatric hospital is around 20 kilometres east of Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood.
Generally, incarcerated individuals have to be approved for release by a review panel.
Blaine Bray, executive director of B.C.’s forensic psychiatric services, said he was unable to comment on a specific patient’s personal circumstances.┬а
“About day passes, on a general basis for any eligible individual, prior to granting┬аleave or time in the community,┬аthe treatment team considers a variety of┬аfactors┬атАФ┬аincluding the patient’s progress┬аand mental status тАФ and a review process is followed, which requires the approval of the B.C. Review Board and Program and Privileges committee,” said Bray.
Eby said his government would “get to the bottom of how this happened” to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“All I can say is that I’m sure it boggles the mind of all British Columbians, as it does me, that a series of decisions could have been taken that landed us in this place,” said Eby.
The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital treats people who have been found not criminally responsible for a crime or unfit to stand trial due to a mental disorder.
