Latest news with #NeelinHighSchool
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
First responders to school sword attack in Manitoba recognized with award
BRANDON - Const. Moshe Linov said he was simply doing his job, but the Manitoba officer who rushed to a high school and stopped a sword attack before more students could be hurt was celebrated Thursday for his heroic actions. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew awarded Linov of the Brandon Police Service — representing himself and other first responders in the June emergency response — the Order of the Buffalo Hunt. The award recognizes people who make outstanding contributions in areas such as community service and leadership. 'This is the perfect example of serving and protecting our community,' Kinew told dozens of people gathered inside Brandon City Hall. 'This was a terrible thing that took place ... and yet in that awful moment, we saw the best of humanity.' The normal routine at Neelin High School was shattered on June 10, when someone entered the school wearing a disguise and armed with a sword. Chinonso Onuke, 15, a Grade 10 student, was cut severely on the hands, chest and thigh. He attended Thursday's ceremony with his family. His hands and lower arms were still wrapped in bandages, but he said his future looks positive. 'It looks pretty good. After my hands recover, I can just go back to school,' the boy said. Police allege the attacker targeted people of colour and immigrants. Linov, a school resource officer, got a call about the attack and responded within roughly three minutes. 'It's what I was trained (for) and it was what I was prepared for throughout my police career,' Linov said. 'It's one of the events that I didn't think about myself. I thought ... I have a call, I have an armed attacker in school and my job is to go and deal with it. So it's what I did.' He said school resource officers provide an important link between schools and police. 'We build relations with students and staff and it's a trust relationship,' he said. 'Any call, any text, I will respond. And I did respond.' Brandon's police chief said Linov's actions were heroic. 'You didn't just secure a scene, you gave an entire community a reason to exhale, to feel safe again,' Tyler Bates said. A suspect was taken down by a stun gun at the school. A 16-year-old boy faces charges of attempted murder, uttering threats, wearing a disguise and possession of a weapon. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
First responders in Brandon, Man., sword attack recognized by government
The teenage victim of a sword attack in a Manitoba high school is speaking out. Danton Unger has his story. BRANDON — Const. Moshe Linov said he was simply doing his job, but the Manitoba officer who rushed to a high school and stopped a sword attack before more students could be hurt was celebrated Thursday for his heroic actions. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew awarded Linov of the Brandon Police Service — representing himself and other first responders in the June emergency response — the Order of the Buffalo Hunt. The award recognizes people who make outstanding contributions in areas such as community service and leadership. "This is the perfect example of serving and protecting our community," Kinew told dozens of people gathered inside Brandon City Hall. "This was a terrible thing that took place ... and yet in that awful moment, we saw the best of humanity." The normal routine at Neelin High School was shattered on June 10, when someone entered the school wearing a disguise and armed with a sword. Chinonso Onuke, 15, a Grade 10 student, was cut severely on the hands, chest and thigh. He attended Thursday's ceremony with his family. His hands and lower arms were still wrapped in bandages, but he said his future looks positive. "It looks pretty good. After my hands recover, I can just go back to school," the boy said. Police allege the attacker targeted people of colour and immigrants. Linov, a school resource officer, got a call about the attack and responded within roughly three minutes. "It's what I was trained (for) and it was what I was prepared for throughout my police career," Linov said. "It's one of the events that I didn't think about myself. I thought ... I have a call, I have an armed attacker in school and my job is to go and deal with it. So it's what I did." He said school resource officers provide an important link between schools and police. "We build relations with students and staff and it's a trust relationship," he said. "Any call, any text, I will respond. And I did respond." Brandon's police chief said Linov's actions were heroic. "You didn't just secure a scene, you gave an entire community a reason to exhale, to feel safe again," Tyler Bates said. A suspect was taken down by a stun gun at the school. A 16-year-old boy faces charges of attempted murder, uttering threats, wearing a disguise and possession of a weapon. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025. Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Free Press
25-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Brandon schools rife with racism, local Nigerians say
BRANDON — The recent sword attack on a high school student was not an isolated incident, but rather 'the boiling point of unchecked racism' that Nigerian students have had to endure, a spokesman for a local Nigerian group told school trustees this week. More than 20 parents, many dressed in black, joined representatives of the United Nigerians in Brandon Association at Monday's Brandon School Division board meeting to share their concerns about safety and racism in local schools. The emotionally charged meeting followed the June 10 attack, described by Brandon's police chief as racially motivated, on Chinonso Onuke, a Nigerian-Canadian Grade 10 student at Neelin High School. Matt Goerzen / Brandon Sun files Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara speaks with Chinonso Onuke during a recent visit. 'Many Nigerian families in Brandon no longer feel safe,' Ade Adeyemi told the board. 'We don't feel safe sending our children to school, and many of our children no longer feel safe… because of the colour of their skin. 'We are here not to blame, but to urge this board to protect and partner with us,' he said. Adeyemi shared findings from the group's preliminary survey of the city's Nigerian community. Of 50 responses received within 24 hours, he said, 43 per cent reported experiencing racial discrimination, while half of the parents said they had raised concerns with schools only to see no change. 'The data also showed that students in grades 5 through 8 are especially vulnerable,' Adeyemi said. The most common issues reported were racial slurs, verbal abuse, exclusion, and in some cases, physical violence, he said. 'We request that the school division publicly release the findings of any recent or ongoing safety audits at Neelin High School or provide a clear timeline for the completion of these reports,' Adeyemi said. 'Also, we urge the division to clarify how racially motivated incidents are currently handled in schools. Specifically, we ask for transparency on how staff are trained to identify and respond to these incidents … and how families are informed and included in the follow-up process.' Another urgent appeal was for the creation of culturally safe spaces within schools. Another recommendation was the installation of metal detectors integrated into automated access systems at school entry points. 'These are meant not as a punitive measure but as a proactive one to ensure safer school environments,' Adeyemi said. The group said students involved in a violent or racially motivated incident should be suspended while an investigation is conducted. It wants monthly updates from the division tracking progress on school safety, responsiveness and student well-being. Board chair Linda Ross assured the group the board is concerned about those issues. 'We share your horror and heartbreak,' she said. Trustee Calistus Ekenna, who is a member of the Nigerian community, questioned the group's spokesperson about the statement that the Neelin attack was not isolated. Adeyemi responded that their recent survey confirms many Nigerian families have long-standing concerns about discrimination in Brandon schools and believe their complaints have often gone unaddressed. Trustee Breanna Sieklicki made an emotional statement of solidarity. Wednesdays A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom. 'When I heard of the attack, it was very sad, and it breaks my heart to know that anybody is treated differently because of the colour of their skin or any other reason,' she said. BSD Supt. Mathew Gustafson told the Brandon Sun Tuesday the division is open to investigating any unresolved racial and security concerns. He said families should first contact school principals, and if issues remain, escalate them to the superintendent's office. 'We take these allegations extremely seriously,' Gustafson said. 'Our values are directly opposed to any form of discrimination, and we are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for every student.' — Brandon Sun
Winnipeg Free Press
20-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sword attack at Brandon school racially motivated, police confirm
BRANDON — Police say a gruesome sword attack on a student at Neelin High School was part of a plot by the 16-year-old accused to target people of colour and immigrants. Brandon police Chief Tyler Bates said there is digital and eyewitness evidence that the accused was 'anti-immigration' and specifically targeted people of colour at the school June 10. A 15-year-old Black student was viciously assaulted. 'When you have an offender that is armed, that is walking past Caucasian students and having no intent to harm those students, but actively pursuing students of colour, you know that certainly speaks to a racialized motive,' Bates said Friday. On June 10, Chinonsu Onuke, 15, was rushed to hospital with stab wounds to his chest, forearms, hands and thighs after a fellow student allegedly stabbed him with a sword. Onuke is recovering with his family at home. Bates said it's still early in the investigation, but investigators have found a significant amount of evidence that the teen's 'racial and political ideologies' were motivating factors behind the attack. 'This is disturbing, and no one should ever fear for their safety because of the colour of their skin, and no child should be made to feel unsafe in a place of learning,' Bates said. 'There is no place in our community for racism, hate, or violence of any kind.' The 16-year-old remains in custody; he has been charged with attempted murder, uttering threats, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and disguise with intent. Police gave an update on the investigation one day after Premier Wab Kinew went to Brandon to apologize in person to the victim and his family 'on behalf of the Indigenous people.' Multiple sources at Neelin High School have confirmed the accused is Indigenous. TIM SMITH / THE BRANDON SUN FILES Chinonso Onuke is held by close friend Leland Henderson and his twin brother Chiemeka during his first visit back to the school on Friday. TIM SMITH / THE BRANDON SUN FILES Chinonso Onuke is held by close friend Leland Henderson and his twin brother Chiemeka during his first visit back to the school on Friday. Police have said the assault was stopped before more people could be hurt. At the time, the school had gone into lockdown. Police arrived in about three minutes and used a stun gun to arrest the teen. Bates said he understands the community's concern and thanked people for their support. He said BPS is working diligently and making sure no detail is overlooked in the investigation. 'The mortal danger encountered at Neelin High School has affected us all, but has united Brandonites in resilience, kindness and opposition to racism and hatred,' he said. Bates said it's clear there is work to be done to ensure students' safety at school, and BPS will continue to work alongside partners in education, mental health and community organizations to keep schools safe and inclusive. In an interview with the Brandon Sun, Bates said no hate-related charges have been laid against the accused, and if the Crown attorneys decided to add them, it could take months. MATT GOERZEN / THE BRANDON SUN FILES Neelin High School Grade 10 student Chinonso Onuke, right, and his twin brother Chiemeka Onuke watch Premier Wab Kinew handle a Premier's Challenge Coin during a visit to the Onuke family home near Sprucewoods on Thursday. MATT GOERZEN / THE BRANDON SUN FILES Neelin High School Grade 10 student Chinonso Onuke, right, and his twin brother Chiemeka Onuke watch Premier Wab Kinew handle a Premier's Challenge Coin during a visit to the Onuke family home near Sprucewoods on Thursday. Bates said the accused is a 'youth in crisis' and needs help and support to get him into a healthy state of mind. 'There were many that were at risk that day just by virtue of their complexion, and that's a sad statement for that to have transpired in the city of Brandon and one that I think is a sobering reality that we have to be mindful of,' Bates said. In an email sent to parents, the Brandon School Division said it is 'profoundly troubled' by the finding that the attack was racially and politically motivated. 'The intentional targeting of individuals based on race is abhorrent and fundamentally contradicts the values, vision and mission of the division,' the email said. 'The severity and intent of this act will inevitably affect the overall sense of security within our community.' The division said that community and support resources, including school social workers and psychologists, will continue to be provided for students and staff, as well as additional crisis supports from Prairie Mountain Health. — Brandon Sun
CTV News
20-06-2025
- CTV News
Brandon high school sword attack was racially motivated: police chief
The teenage victim of a sword attack in a Manitoba high school is speaking out. Danton Unger has his story. The suspect in a sword attack at a Brandon, Man., high school was targeting people based on race, according to the city's police chief. In a statement, Brandon Police Chief Tyler Bates said the investigating is 'complex and ongoing.' However, officers have now found a 'significant amount' of evidence that indicates the suspect's political and racial ideologies were motivators of the crime. 'The offender planned the attack and the perpetration of violence against targets chosen specifically based on race — targeting people of colour and immigrants,' he said. 'It was a deliberate, senseless, targeted act of hate. This is disturbing and no one should ever fear for their safety because of the colour of their skin, and no child should be made to feel unsafe in a place of learning.' Bates went on to say that he has 'no doubt' that the combination of the school division's emergency planning, the relationship between students and school liaison officers, and the speedy response of police helped to prevent mass casualties. 'It is clear that there remains work to do to further enhance and improve safety within Brandon schools and we will continue working with our partners in education, mental health, and community organizations to ensure that our schools remain safe and inclusive spaces for everyone,' he said. Bates' remarks come after a 16-year-old student at Neelin High School was arrested and charged last week with attempted murder after he allegedly brought a sword to school and attacked another student. The charges have not been proven in court. The victim, Chinonso Onuke, sustained several injuries, including wounds to his chest, abdomen, and leg. - With files from CTV's Devon McKendrick.
