The younger of two teenaged boys, facing dozens of charges in connection to an incident last summer that saw a number of livestock shot in a rural area just west of Edmonton.
The Thordarson family and other rural residents of Parkland County were on edge, after several animals were found shot – most of the animals died.
On June 20, two of the animals found shot and killed belonged to 13-year-old Kassidy Thordarson, who had been raising the purebred Angus cow and calf as part of a 4H project.
Nearly nine months later, the pain of the deaths is still fresh for the family.
“I worked with her to train the cows,” Lainie Thordarson, Kassidy’s mother, said. “Especially the 4H ones, you’d call her and she’d come to the fence, it was very hard to be the one to find her.”
In addition to the cow and calf, Wade Thordarson lost a purebred Angus that was found shot and killed on his back pasture.
“It’s like finding your dog shot by somebody, you’re going to feel hatred towards that person,” Lainie said.
At the end of January, RCMP announced two teenagers – aged 15 and 18 - faced a total of 28 charges ranging from killing or injuring cattle, to careless use of a firearm, and mischief.
The younger boy appeared in a Spruce Grove youth courtroom Friday, the Thordarson’s came to see who was accused of killing their animals.
However, the story has reached outside of the community – as some who don’t know the family came to see who had been charged with the crime.
“I wanted to see today what kind of person does that,” Brenda Martin told CTV News.
“I saw a very young man, who looks like a child, I was stunned.”
Although she has no personal connection to the story, Martin is a self-described animal lover, who volunteers at the Edmonton Humane Society – and wants to see any kind of violence against animals end.
“We’re here to support the families, and to make sure this kind of animal cruelty stops,” Martin said.
The Thordarson’s are looking forward to that day as well.
“Something needs to be done about this kind of behaviour,” Wade Thordarson said.
While the 15-year-old accused boy appeared in court, and the older boy – who CTV News later identified as Julian Bliss, 18 - is slated to appear in court next week, none of the allegations have been proven in court.
With files from Susan Amerongen
