Hundreds attend vigil for 17-year-old victim of intimate partner violence

A candlelight vigil was held Wednesday nighttime for a London, Ont., teen who died pursuing a stabbing past week.

Breanna Broadfoot, 17, died successful infirmary July 18 aft she was stabbed astatine a location connected Wellesley Crescent, adjacent Trafalgar Street and Clarke Road, 2 days earlier. London constabulary person linked nan lawsuit to friendly partner violence.

Police went to nan location aft reports of a home disturbance successful which aggregate group were stabbed. The Special Investigations Unit says that during officers’ interactions pinch nan suspect, he was changeable by police. An 18-year-old later died successful hospital. The SIU is an Ontario civilian agency that investigates situations wherever group aliases wounded aliases dice during constabulary actions.

Broadfoot was 1 of 2 victims who was taken to infirmary and remained successful captious information until her decease past Friday. The different victim, a 22-year-old man, was treated and released from hospital.

The vigil, held astatine Ed Blake parkland successful nan city’s northeast end, featured respective speakers, including London Abused Women’s Centre executive head Jennifer Dunn, London North Centre MPP Terence Kernaghan, and Dan Jennings, nan begetter of Caitlin Jennings, who was allegedly killed by her partner successful July 2023.

Hundreds of Londoners attended nan vigil, pinch galore dressed successful purple to show support for women and girls affected by friendly partner violence.

Jacqueline Doxtator, who went to schoolhouse pinch Breanna, said Breanna had an effect connected everyone successful nan park.

“She knew a batch of people, she was really retired there. It’s awesome to spot it, honestly.”

Tavia Lapier, different of Breanna’s friends, said she had been adjacent pinch her since Grade 10.

“She was really agleam and funny, ever making jokes successful class,” Lapier said. “I recovered it really heartbreaking erstwhile I recovered retired (it was friendly partner violence), because I knew she was struggling for a really agelong time.”

Lucas Broadfoot, Breanna’s brother, organized nan vigil. He said nan monolithic turnout would person meant a batch to Breanna.

“I deliberation she’d beryllium really happy, seeing truthful galore group present for her and showing their emotion and attraction for her,” nan 15-year-old said pursuing nan candle lighting. “It really touched maine seeing truthful galore group successful my organization supporting me, supporting Bree.”

Ed Blake Park was picked arsenic nan location of nan Vigil arsenic it was location Lucas and Breanna would play erstwhile they were younger, Lucas said.

“Bree’s ever been truthful friends to everyone, truthful I cognize everyone present has support and emotion for Bree,” he said.

On Sunday, Broadfoot’s parents posted to Facebook that her liver, heart, lungs, kidneys and pancreas had been donated to 5 people.

Brett Broadfoot, Breanna and Lucas’ father, thanked nan trauma squad astatine Victoria Hospital for their efforts and curen of nan family.

Trending Now

“They helped america done a mates of nan roughest days of our absolute life, but they ne'er stopped trying. I dream you ne'er person to meet them,” Brett said, eliciting a fewer laughs from nan crowd.

“Breanna was capable to thief others arsenic she ever wanted to do. … She saved 5 lives pinch her donations of her organs. Those 5 lives now person an opportunity to proceed connected pinch their families and loved ones.”

He ended his reside by asking nan crowd to look retired for each different and saying that if ever they spot aliases perceive personification who whitethorn request help, not to guidelines by.

Echoing his father’s statements, Lucas said males his property request to prime up connected nan signs of maltreatment and clasp group accountable.

“As a young man, you really person to conflict and recognize what’s going wrong. Specifically, our property group, arsenic astir of nan deaths and reasons victims are successful nan hospital, it’s my age,” Lucas said. “Everything that happens is terrible, thing should beryllium going nether nan radar.”

Dunn, LAWC executive director, praised Lucas, saying he’s precisely what nan organization needs.

“We request young men for illustration him to guidelines up and speak out,” Dunn said. “Ultimately, I deliberation they will extremity up being nan alteration that we need. People request to cognize that this is not OK and he’s doing that.”

Broadfoot’s family has requested immoderate donations successful her representation to beryllium sent to Victim Services of Middlesex-London.

Additional resources see nan London Abused Women’s Centre (519-432-2204) and nan abused women’s thief statement astatine 1-866-863-0511 aliases #SAFE, disposable anyplace successful Ontario 24-7. Deaf and difficult of proceeding work is disposable 24-7 astatine 1-866-863-7868.