Hamilton police say a 14-year-old's mother was with him when he was fatally stabbed outside Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School on Monday afternoon.

"She's witnessed something horrible here," said Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk of the Hamilton police major crime unit. "She is devastated."

Bereziuk said police responded to a call for a stabbing at 1:20 p.m. on Monday behind the high school at Dunsmure Road and Ivon Avenue. The school is on Main Street East, near the Queenston traffic circle.

The 14-year-old, a student at the school, was transported to Hamilton General Hospital where he died of his injuries. This is the city's 9th homicide of the year.

An 18-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy, both from Hamilton, will be charged with first degree murder. They will appear at the John Sopinka Courthouse on Tuesday (Oct. 8). A third male youth was arrested on Monday night around 6 p.m. Police say he was interviewed and later released unconditionally once his involvement in the investigation was established.

Under the regulations of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the youth cannot be identified. Police are still looking for two more suspects.

"This incident was captured on video," Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk said during a press conference near the scene on Monday evening. "We will identify these people. It's in their best interest to contact, perhaps a lawyer, get some legal advice and then come and see us."

He wouldn't say who filmed the video or if it was filmed on a cellphone. Asked if video was shared on social media, Bereziuk said police will look at social media as part of the investigation but it was too early for him to comment further.

Bereziuk said he wouldn't comment on why the victim's mother was there with her son when the attack happened.

She was not injured.

The boy's name — which is protected under the Youth Criminal Justuice Act — is not being released, Bereziuk said.

Police have not yet located a weapon, but are looking for a knife. Neighbours near the school are asked to check their property for the weapon, but not to touch it. Police will remain in the area for the majority of the day (Tuesday, Oct. 8) processing evidence and canvassing. Residents in the area who find anything suspicious on their property are urged not to touch the item but to contact 9-1-1 immediately.

Police will continue to work with Sir Winston Churchill and the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board. Grief counsellors will be available for those affected by the incident.

The victim had a relationship with the suspects, but Bereziuk didn't know the extent of the relationship. Police are not sure how many people were involved in the attack.

"It's been somewhat of a chaotic afternoon, as you can probably imagine," he said.

The first of the two outstanding suspects is described as a light-skinned black girl in her early teens with long, black hair. She was wearing a black coat with, possibly, a black T-shirt with white writing, and wore black shoes with a white stripe and white laces. The other is described as a white boy in his early teens wearing white shoes, dark pants, a grey long-sleeved shirt and a black backpack.

Bereziuk said he believes some suspects attended the school.

In the neighbourhood where the victim lived, half a dozen people gathered on lawn chairs Monday afternoon, discussing the assault and signing a sympathy card for the boy's mother.

"I'm scared as a mother, for my son," said a woman named Eva, who did not want to give her last name, saying she was shaken by the incident.

She described the boy who died as "quiet, nice, shy." She last saw him playing on the street Sunday.

"He was laughing," she said.

The assault temporarily sent the high school, along with W.H. Ballard, Parkdale, Rosedale, Viscount Montgomery and St. Eugene Catholic elementary schools, and nearby daycares into hold and secure — which means all exterior doors are locked but school continues to function as normal. Police said the hold and secures were lifted around 2:40 p.m.

Amanda McKay teared up Monday afternoon waiting outside the school for her daughter, Katelyn, who is in Grade 10.

"My kid called me and she's freaked out. Like, she's pretty unflappable," McKay said.

Katelyn was outside when ambulances arrived at the school.

"All I heard was sirens everywhere and then suddenly there was a stretcher coming out," Katelyn said. "You don't ever think this is going to happen."

A police command van remains at the scene at Ivon Avenue and Dunsmure Road. Anyone with information is encouraged to go to that location.

There was a heavy police presence near the school at 1715 Main St. E., west of Parkdale Avenue South, including the canine unit.

Dunsmure Road behind the school remained blocked off from Tolton to Adeline Avenue Monday evening.

A bicycle and a black backpack could be seen inside the area taped off by police. A police dog was sniffing through bushes in the area, and nearby on Main Street East, police guarded a driveway blocked off by police tape. An orange aerosol can sat on the driveway.

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Bereziuk confirmed police are looking into whether pepper spray was involved in the incident.

Caryn Coates lives by the school and said her daughter is friends with the victim's girlfriend.

"She's just devastated," Coates said of her daughter's friend.

Coates said the victim was a "great kid" who was bullied "way too much."

Debbie Fewer, who also lives near the school, said she heard sirens and later got a call from her neighbour telling her Dunsmure was blocked off by police.

"That breaks my heart," she said upon learning a 14-year-old died. "I feel so, so bad for that family."

Her nephew attends the school and her son recently graduated.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board said all communication was being directed by Hamilton police.

"Our hearts are broken by the news that a 14-year-old student has died. There are no words that can begin to describe how shocked we are to learn about this loss. Our thoughts are with the student's family and loved ones," read a statement from Manny Figueiredo, director of education, late Monday.

Police are appealing witnesses or anyone with video to contact police at 905-546-4123, or come to the command van at the scene.

To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com.

noreilly@thespec.com

905-526-3199 | @NicoleatTheSpec

katrinaclarke@thespec.com

905-526-4629 | @katrinaaclarke

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