By Andrea Sands, Edmonton Journal April 24, 2010

EDMONTON — Police have charged a 14-year-old boy with aggravated assault related to a vicious attack on a lesbian last weekend, Edmonton’s police chief said Saturday as he apologized for how officers handled the case.

Shannon Barry was kicked in the face after a group of young men allegedly taunted her with homophobic slurs. The blow broke Barry’s jaw and the bone below her eye socket: she underwent reconstructive surgery earlier this week. Doctors put two metal plates in her face and told her she may have permanent nerve damage.

“I’m overwhelmed by everything,” Barry said Saturday.

“I’m happy that somebody is going to be held responsible for what happened and, as far as his age goes, I’m just really sad.”

Police took a teenage boy into custody Friday night and said Saturday they have not established that the attack was a hate crime. However, police are still investigating the incident, which happened at 3:25 in the morning.

“We have confirmed that the incident was random and that the victim was not specifically targeted,” Const. Patrick Ruzage said in a news release issued Saturday afternoon.

Earlier this week, Barry criticized the police response to the case. She told the Edmonton Journal she had little contact with investigators until Thursday, and wondered why such a serious assault wasn’t dealt with sooner.

On Saturday, police Chief Mike Boyd said police made a mistake: the constable investigating the incident did not file his report before his shift ended and he went on days off, Boyd said. That meant there was no record of the incident available to other officers who could have followed up the investigation.

“This was a breach of policy which led to the victim being told on Tuesday that there was no record of the incident,” he said.


“First, I want to offer my apology to the victim and I also want to offer my apology on behalf of the Edmonton Police Service to our wider minority communities here in the City of Edmonton for the response that the victim got on Tuesday when she phoned the Edmonton Police Service, and this apology includes for the original officer not filing that report.

“If information was in the file, as is proper procedure, she would have been told that the member fully intended to investigate this crime and pursue leads based on the suspect description. The error in judgment made by the responding officer was a mistake and he is genuinely remorseful for that mistake.”

After police learned of the error Tuesday, the hate crimes unit on Wednesday started investigating, Boyd noted.

The officer is expected to face internal discipline for failing to properly file his report, Boyd said.

Const. Ken Smith of the hate crimes unit confirmed the unit is still investigating and additional charges are possible.

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Heartbreaking.

Cinnie said:

Fucking bastards

Edmonton sounds worse with every news story.

Lammastide said:

I never wanted to live there.

Hope they find the rest of the shit heads involved in the assault

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/...ation.html

Gay & lesbian hate crimes far to often aren't taken seriously by law enforcement.

TD3 said:

I don't know why it's so different from straight crimes. I'm sick of the hypocrisy with law enforcement.