I just heard about a horrific murder…here in Canada…and it happened two days ago at 8:45pm on Wednesday night (July 30/08). As I read the news wire, the story got more and more bizarre…and I kept thinking, “I know a fellow who would be about the same age as the victim (18 or 19), also from Edmonton … oh, please let him be OK …”

A 40-year-old man wearing sunglasses and brandishing a Rambo-type knife (a hunting knife, I guess), stabbed the young man (who was wearing earphones and seated…well, sleeping with his head against the window…beside the guy on a greyhound bus headed to Winnipeg) 40 or 50 times, beheaded him and gutted him and taunted police with the head by sticking it out a window—a three-hour standoff. That’s just sick! It is absolutely revolting…and terrifying…and makes me want to puke!

I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before…a stabbing and a beating, yes…but not THIS!

At this point nobody knows why it happened, but I read that the attacker showed no emotion, no rage, no swearing, but was calm and robot-like.

I feel for the family of the victim, the passengers on the bus, the driver, and everyone who had to respond to the situation. This is certainly a circumstance that screams for trauma counseling…how to cope…how to reduce the profound effect this experience will have…there were children on board who saw what was happening…some passengers said they have been unable to sleep or eat since it happened…such haunting images and flashbacks to have to deal with!

Some will be in shock, others immobilized, and others will experience uncontrollable crying.

It has to be stressed to the children that it’s over and they are safe.

But can passengers ever really feel safe on a bus again? I have to wonder why such a weapon was even allowed on the bus in the first place!

Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
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