Teen testifies to witnessing fatal stabbing of 16-year-old at Halifax Shopping Centre
A young boy who was present with Ahmad Al Marrach on the tragic day he was fatally stabbed gave his testimony during the trial of one of the four teenagers accused of killing the 16-year-old. The accused teen is facing charges of second-degree murder in connection with Al Marrach’s death, and his identity is protected by a publication ban.
The witness, also a 15-year-old boy, had a family member by his side in the witness box for support as he shared his account in Arabic with the assistance of a translator. He recounted how Al Marrach had asked him and others to accompany him to the Halifax Shopping Centre on the afternoon of April 22, 2024. Al Marrach had agreed to a fight with another boy at the mall and wanted backup to ensure a fair altercation.
The group arrived at the bus terminal near the mall and then moved to a nearby Tim Hortons to wait. They later proceeded to the mall parkade, where they encountered the other group of four youths approaching. The witness mentioned how he ran back to Tim Hortons to seek reinforcements and upon his return to the parkade, witnessed Al Marrach engaged in a fight with another boy.
During the altercation, one of the members of the opposing group brandished a knife, catching Al Marrach’s supporters off guard as they were unarmed. The witness shared how they searched for makeshift weapons in the parkade but found none, so they refrained from intervening. Security footage from the parkade corroborated the witness’s testimony, showing the teens staying back from the scuffle.
At one point, the witness described how a girl from the other group kicked Al Marrach in the head while he was in a headlock with one of his assailants. The girl later grabbed Al Marrach’s backpack, prompting him to chase after her. It was during this pursuit that another member of the group pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed Al Marrach.
The witness recalled feeling as though it was just him and Al Marrach in the parkade after the stabbing, with everyone else seemingly gone. He was able to identify the knife used in the attack from pictures, noting that the accused had posted images on social media holding a similar weapon, which the police had retrieved.
During the trial, a concerning incident occurred when the family member providing support to the witness felt threatened by the accused’s demeanor, leading to a brief pause in proceedings. After deliberation among the lawyers, the trial resumed to seek justice for the tragic loss of Ahmad Al Marrach.
