Premier Tim Houston says the woman who stabbed a 6-year-old boy in Halifax should be locked behind bars.
Police said 19-year-old Elliott Chorny stabbed the boy multiple times near the Scotia Square bus terminal on Sunday afternoon.
Chorny also faces charges for an assault at the QE2 hospital on Jan. 27.
Houston said any person who poses a danger to others like this should not be walking around in society.
“If there is a person, any person, who represents such a danger to others that this could happen, that person shouldn’t just be walking around in society,” Houston said.
This echoes what he posted on social media shortly after the incident.
I struggle to fully express my outrage and sadness at learning about this attack on an innocent child in Halifax this afternoon. My thoughts are with the victim and their family. The person who did this is clearly a threat to the public and should be kept locked behind bars. https://t.co/5UwwyjuWgN
— Tim Houston (@TimHoustonNS) February 24, 2025
The unthinkable tragedy has touched people across the province and across the country, he said.
He said this situation is complicated, and he isn’t exactly sure of the specifics of the case. At the centre of the issue is a human being with their own wants and thoughts.
Chorny’s mother, Andrea Hancock, posted on social media about the incident. She said her daughter has struggled for a long time with mental illness and the family tried to get her help several times. She said they also told authorities that Chorny could be dangerous if she did not receive treatment.
Houston said the government has a responsibility to offer mental health and addictions programming.
“But what we really know is people have to be ready to accept that. You can’t force somebody,” he said.
“We’ll always continue to invest in mental health and addiction support and there’ll always be more work to do, but we do as much as we can.”
