'Stabbed multiple times by a stranger': Halifax police seek suspect in connection with random stabbing
'Stabbed multiple times by a stranger': Halifax police seek suspect in connection with random stabbing
Halifax Regional Police is looking for help in finding a suspect in connection with a disturbing incident in the city Friday evening.
A man in his 50s suffered serious injuries when he was stabbed outside a downtown restaurant.
Joe Bellefontaine identifies the victim as his son, 56-year-old Steve Bellefontaine.
Joe got the news in a frantic phone message from the younger man's fiancé.
"And when I called her, she told me that my son was stabbed multiple times by a stranger," said Joe.
The family says the incident was completely random.
The nightmare-scenario played out in the heart of downtown Halifax Friday evening.
Steve Bellefontaine told his dad he was having a drink at a restaurant near his home.
A couple had stepped outside for a smoke, he said, and when they returned, the man's face was bloody.
They said they'd been attacked by another man outside.
Steve Bellefontaine went out to investigate, and the man turned on him.
"A total stranger came right out of the clear blue, stabbed him multiple times, especially in the lower part of his stomach, and really caused serious damage," said Joe.
Steve Bellefontaine also suffered cuts to his head and defensive wounds on his arms.
He's had two surgeries so far, the latest Sunday night.
"We wouldn't be able to speculate on the motivations of the individual at this point," said Halifax Regional Police Const. John MacLeod.
However, police do have a description of who they're looking for.
The suspect is described as a white man in his late teens or early 20s, about five-foot-ten with a thin build and short dark hair. He was wearing a black T-shirt with white writing, black and grey pants, and red boots.
Even now, as he runs back and forth between his home and the hospital, Joe offers this prognosis.
"He's pretty strong. He's like me, he's fairly strong, which is good. Good, positive attitude. But he's got to be careful and he's got to rest for quite a bit more time," said Joe.
Joe Bellefontaine, 80, is also expressing concern about the apparent randomness of the incident.
"So, 8:30 in the evening, you hope it's fairly safe," he said. "It ain't."
Anyone with information on the suspect, the incident or video from the area is asked to contact police at 902-490-5016.
Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers by calling toll-free 1-800-222-8477, submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca or using the P3 Tips App.
British Columbia is taking a major step forward in its fight against the province’s deadly overdose crisis by decriminalizing the possession of a small amount of certain illicit drugs for personal use.
A report commissioned by a non-profit organization founded by the late Jean Vanier says the Canadian sexually abused 25 women during his decades with the group.
A six-year-old girl died in hospital Sunday night after being involved in an incident at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudiere. Quebec police are investigating, though details into the event are not yet known. Officers indicated that it involved a T-bar lift, but they were not able to say more.
The coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found the pandemic may be nearing an 'inflection point' where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths.
New guidance for drinking alcohol could speed up changing consumer drinking habits as younger generations drink less and non-alcoholic beverages become more popular, advocates and business owners in the beverage industry say.
Members of Parliament return to Ottawa to resume sitting for the first time in 2023 on Monday, with the state of Canada's health-care system, the health of the Canadian economy, and rates of violent crime in this country all top of mind.
Quebec's minister responsible for secularism, Jean-Francois Roberge, has called on Canada’s new special anti-Islamophobia advisor Amira Elghawaby to apologize and step down.
A Toronto passenger said her Sunwing Airlines flight was unforgettable as she recounted the moments after the pilot shut down the plane’s engine mid-flight to Montego Bay on Friday.
The Farmers' Almanac just revealed its spring 2023 forecast and Ontario, along with much of the rest of Canada, is expected to see a “turbulent transition to warmth,” the agency predicts.
Quebec's minister responsible for secularism, Jean-Francois Roberge, has called on Canada’s new special anti-Islamophobia advisor Amira Elghawaby to apologize and step down.
A report commissioned by a non-profit organization founded by the late Jean Vanier says the Canadian sexually abused 25 women during his decades with the group.
A six-year-old girl died in hospital Sunday night after being involved in an incident at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudiere. Quebec police are investigating, though details into the event are not yet known. Officers indicated that it involved a T-bar lift, but they were not able to say more.
The Mindbender roller coaster at Galaxyland has been shut down, West Edmonton Mall announced on Monday. The redevelopment of the area is already underway, and the roller coaster is being decommissioned and removed.
A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged after police say he caused more than $5,000 worth of damage to an Edmonton Transit Bus and threatened a female passenger, acts that drew condemnation from Alberta's premier.
Two people discovered asleep in a vehicle in Sault Ste. Marie on Jan. 30 were found with weapons and more than $175,000 in illegal drugs, Sault police said Monday.
Actor Annie Wersching, best known for playing FBI agent Renee Walker in the series '24' and providing the voice for Tess in the video game 'The Last of Us' has died. She was 45.
A person has been charged following the death of a pedestrian in a crash last week. As previously reported by CTV News, a pedestrian was struck by a car near Hamilton Road and Watmar Avenue on Jan. 24.
Police in St. Thomas, Ont. are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect who they allege participated in a violent home invasion over the weekend.
Bobby Hull once proudly said that he played the way he lived -- straightforward. The Hockey Hall of Famer, who electrified fans through the 1960s and 70s, died on Monday at the age of 84. Hull played for the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks before a jump to the Winnipeg Jets of the upstart World Hockey Association in 1972, a move that led to lawsuits but ultimately higher salaries for hockey players.
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson promoted four backbenchers from suburban Winnipeg areas to her inner circle Monday in a cabinet shuffle eight months out from an election.
A report into the impact of the "Freedom Convoy" occupation on residents of Ottawa has accused all three levels of government of failing to uphold the human rights of people who live and work in downtown Ottawa.
A man accused of murder said he has been behind bars at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre for the last 1,310 days and is only allowed out three hours each day.
Maidstone RCMP are looking for a suspect following an alleged sexual assault of a girl under the age of 10 in a dressing room at the Lashburn Sportsplex on Sunday afternoon.
British Columbia is taking a major step forward in its fight against the province’s deadly overdose crisis by decriminalizing the possession of a small amount of certain illicit drugs for personal use.
A Vancouver police sergeant who says he was Const. Nicole Chan's friend and mentor has told a coroner's inquest that Chan believed she would never return to work because human resource officers went to the hospital when she was apprehended under the Mental Health Act.
Maidstone RCMP are looking for a suspect following an alleged sexual assault of a girl under the age of 10 in a dressing room at the Lashburn Sportsplex on Sunday afternoon.
Mounties are asking the public for help finding a 30-year-old woman missing in Nanaimo, B.C. Police say Samantha Evans has not been heard from since Jan. 11. Her family contacted the Nanaimo RCMP one week later and a missing person's investigation was launched on Jan. 18.
