Children who witnessed basketball court killing testify at murder trial

A 10-year-old boy who witnessed a fatal stabbing on a basketball court in September testified at the trial for one of two brothers charged with murder, telling the judge he was playing soccer beside the victim when the teenager was attacked.

Danillo Canales Glenn, 18, was pepper sprayed and then stabbed on Sept. 5, 2023.

Two brothers, who were 16 and 18 years old at the time, are charged with second-degree murder. Neither can be named because one is a youth.

The younger brother's trial got underway Tuesday in Calgary before Court of King's Bench Justice Eleanor Funk.

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The 10-year-old witness testified from a remote courtroom with Calgary Police Service victim assistance dog Webber by his side. 

The day after the killing, the Grade 4 student gave a videotaped statement to police from his home. That video was played in court Thursday as the boy watched and then adopted it as his testimony. 

A publication ban protects the boy's identity. CBC News will call him B.

Kids shared rink space with teens

When the video was recorded, two officers were at B's residence, sitting across from him as he explained what he had witnessed the day before. 

The child told police that on Sept. 5, he had biked over to the Copperfield Mahogany Community Centre park and found some other young kids to play with.

They played soccer in one half of a boarded outdoor rink while Canales Glenn and two friends — who were 17 and 18 years old at the time — played basketball in the other half. 

'Bro, stop'

In his statement to police, B told the detectives that out of nowhere two older boys hopped over the boards of the arena and approached Canales Glenn.

"He ran, sprayed him and then pushed him on the ground and then stabbed him," B said in his statement. 

The Grade 4 boy said he heard Canales Glenn say "bro, stop."

The attackers then fled. 

B told police he ran to his bike and headed home.

Another witness, a 14-year-old girl, also testified Thursday. She was in the park at the time of the incident and told police she and her friends got pepper spray in their eyes and faces during the attack.

The two brothers were arrested days later.

The youth's trial is set to run another week. His older brother's trial has not yet been scheduled.