14-year-old charged with 1st-degree murder of elderly woman in Pickering, Ont.

A 14-year-old boy from Pickering, Ont., has been charged with first-degree murder after an elderly woman was stabbed to death on Thursday afternoon.

The teen appeared in court Friday morning and was seen wearing a dark grey sweatshirt and light grey sweatpants.

As he was leaving the video booth, his right hand appeared to be injured, wrapped in white medical tape.

The accused has a lengthy no-contact order with a number of people.

The teen’s identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

He is being held in custody and is scheduled to appear back in court again on June 20.

On Thursday, around 5:40 p.m., Durham Regional Police issued an emergency alert, telling residents near 2125 Lynn Heights Dr. in Pickering to shelter in place.

The alert was triggered after a stabbing in the area around 3 p.m., when an elderly woman was attacked by a male suspect, whom police said she did not know.

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Police say video footage showed the woman outside when she was approached by the suspect.

After a brief encounter, the suspect attacked the victim, stabbing her multiple times before fleeing the area on foot, police allege.

The victim was rushed to a trauma centre in the Toronto area, where she succumbed to her injuries.

The victim was named in court on Friday but is being withheld from publication at the family’s request.

Durham Regional Police Chief Peter Moreira said officers had no knowledge of a motive for the attack, which he called “sadistic and cowardly.”

Residents were told to stay inside while a search for the suspect over several hours.

The emergency alert was followed by the news that the City of Pickering would shutter its community centres, libraries and other facilities to observe the shelter-in-place order.

At around 8:45 p.m., roughly three hours after the emergency alert and almost six hours after the attack itself, police confirmed the arrest of a young teenager.

“We’re announcing that we’ve arrested a 13-year-old male from Pickering, and he’s been arrested by our tactical support unit without incident,” Chief Moreira told reporters.

The next day, police corrected the accused’s age to 14.

The chief said his officers still believed the attack was random and had not yet been able to establish a connection.

Durham police said they searched the area using a helicopter, drone and both the K9 and tactical units.

Before the arrest was made, Moreira said he made the decision to issue the alert out of an abundance of caution because police didn’t know where the suspect was, nor did they have a motive for the attack.

In a statement, Pickering mayor Kevin Ashe conveyed his condolences to the family of the victim, calling it a “tragic and senseless act of violence.”

We extend our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones as they face this devastating loss, and the city stands ready to offer any support possible during this most difficult time,” Ashe said.

Ashe thanked Durham police for their quick response and tried to reassure residents that the community was safe.

“A horrific tragedy like this is truly unprecedented, and while there will be much discussion and speculation in the days ahead, I ask for patience as the police investigation continues, as well as privacy for the victim’s family,” Ashe said.

“For now, let us come together as a community to remember the victim, support her loved ones, and grieve together.”

With files from Global News’ Isaac Callan