Edmonton teen, 13, attacked by a man swinging a knife while walking home from school

EDMONTON -

A 13-year-old boy was attacked by a man with a weapon while he was walking home from school in north Edmonton Monday, an incident that was caught on camera.

“I was walking peacefully all by myself, then suddenly I just get jumped by an adult holding a knife on my stomach,” the boy said in an interview Thursday afternoon.

CTV News Edmonton has agreed to withhold his identity for safety reasons.

Video of the apparent attack shows the teen walking down the sidewalk at about 3:15 p.m. in the Kildare neighbourhood, when a man in an orange shirt began swinging his right arm at him.

The teen scrambled to get away, falling on the sidewalk and rolling onto the street.

The video appears to show the man pursuing and standing over him with his arm in the air.

Yelling can be heard on the video, but it’s not clear what’s being said. Someone then started blaring a car horn.

The video cuts out with the man appearing to still be standing over the teen.

The teen said the man ran away because witnesses were honking and yelling.

“He wouldn’t have run, if it wasn’t for them,” he believes. “I’m very shocked right now. Every time I hear there’s a knock on the door, I get scared.”

The boy was not stabbed, but said he was left bruised from falling down during the incident.

MAN ARRESTED AND CHARGED

A 20-year-old-man named Silas Parsons was arrested near the scene shortly after the attack, Edmonton police confirmed Thursday.

The victim provided video of a tactical team surrounding a home.

An armoured vehicle is seen parked on the front lawn, as several officers stand behind it for cover. At one point the video captures an apparent flashbang device used by officers.

“Silas, we know you’re inside the residence,” an officer is heard over a loudspeaker.

“Your house is surrounded. The only way that I can ensure your safety is for you to exit the front door of your house with nothing in your hands and follow all verbal direction.”

Parsons was charged with possession of a weapon, assault with a weapon and assault of a police officer.

FAMILY STILL SCARED

The boy said he hasn’t gone to school since the incident.

“I’m still scared even to go into my backyard.”

The boy’s father said he’s attempting to get a restraining order against the accused, because he believes officials have already released him back into the neighbourhood pending future court dates.

“It’s a miserable situation. Since that incident, all of us are sleeping in the same bedroom,” he said. “I don’t know how come this happened. To be honest, even as an adult, I’m concerned about my safety and my family’s safety.”

The mother of the man who was charged also spoke to CTV News Edmonton.

She said her son has a mental health disorder, and she believes funding cuts resulting in fewer visits from a case worker have led him to self medicate.

None of the charges against Parsons have been proven in court.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s David Ewasuk