When I arrived at the ABS Training Centre (located in Pickering) last Thursday night to teach my weekly class, the door was locked. I was not surprised.
You see, just before I left the house, I received an alert on my iPhone from the Durham Region Police advising folks in the area to shelter in place due to a fatal stabbing attack on an 83-year-old woman. I decided to leave for class.
One of the gymnasts’ mothers unlocked the door to let me know, and was somewhat embarrassed about locking it.
“There’s a situation here in Pickering.”
I replied, “No worries; you are practicing practical self-defence!“
What Happened?
Investigators with Durham Regional Police Service have identified the woman killed in a random attack in Pickering last week as 83-year-old Eleanor Doney. Doney was reportedly gardening in the front yard of her home, located in the Fairport Road and Lynn Heights Drive area, on May 29, when the suspect, a 14-year-old boy dressed in a long, black trench coat to his ankles, allegedly approached and randomly began stabbing her in broad daylight.
Various other articles, more or less, repeat the same account. Apparently, the random attack was captured on video, presumably from a residence’s Ring camera and has been seized as evidence by the police.
The identity of the 14-year-old has been doxxed on social media. There are videos of him walking to and from the murder scene. He was dressed in a long, shiny trench coat, wearing a mask, and shoes that looked too large for his feet. In addition, he was carrying a briefcase.
Based on his appearance and the randomness of the attack, I assume that he has some mental health issues. We will not know for quite some time due to court order publication bans in Canada.
Randomness
It appears that there was no pre-existing relationship between the accused murderer and the victim. Based on the current accounts, it seems to be a completely random attack. This is reminiscent of the infamous swarming attack in downtown Toronto in December 2022. Eight teenage girls were charged with the murder of a homeless man with whom they had no prior connection. As with the Pickering murder, this was a random, violent attack on an unfortunate victim.
Self Defence Aspect
As one who teaches self-defence/martial arts, I’d like to know more about how the incident unfolded. Were any words exchanged? Did the attacker act in a way to lower the woman’s defences? Was it a sudden, violent attack?
My wife and I discussed the doxxed images and videos on social media to play out potential reactions to a person walking down our street. I could find only one article (to date) containing a screenshot of the kid walking down the street.
We agreed that if we saw someone with a similar appearance walking on our street, we would take precautions, including retreating into our house and calling the police.
I seriously doubt that we will ever see the video of the incident itself. We can only guess.
That leaves one last question.
Why?
From the outside looking in and with little knowledge of the case, I wonder if one or a combination of the following reasons explains what happened last week.
The accused murderer would have been 9 years old during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Did that have any effect on him?
Based on his physical appearance, does he have a history of mental health problems?
What kind of family environment did he grow up in?
“A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a school teacher who will be retiring this year. She teaches the younger grades. I don’t want to reveal too much about her to protect her identity. During our conversation, I asked her about the challenges of teaching online during the pandemic lockdowns. She admitted that teaching online and keeping kids motivated was pretty challenging.
I then asked her about the potential long-term effects of the pandemic on students in general. She responded. “One-third of students will be fine. They never fell behind and were able to stay the course. Another one-third of the students fell behind but are catching up.”
The last one-third? “They are so far behind academically and socially that they will never catch up.”
Let me say that this teacher is not prone to hyperbole or exaggeration. I find this statement to be credible. Further, word has gotten back to this teacher about older students acting out in various ways against their teachers.
One wonders about the future of the one-third that has fallen behind academically and socially. What does it mean for society in general? Will crime rates rise? Will there be a rage wave coming in the future? I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s coming. In some respects, it’s already here, as discussed below.“
We shall find out, in due time, what prompted the accused murderer to engage in this senseless, violent attack. I suspect either mental illness or some deleterious side effect from the COVID-19 lockdowns, or a combination of both.
Due to legal publication bans, the details of this case may take a while to emerge. It sometimes takes up to a couple of years before reporters are permitted to discuss the details of a case, particularly one involving underage children.
I am passionate about martial arts and self defense. I train in and teach Filipino Martial Arts and self defense. I love teaching private lessons, more so than group classes!
