Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair speaks at a news conference in Toronto
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair speaks at a news conference in Toronto, in this file photo from October 31, 2013. Blair has served Toronto city councillor Doug Ford with a defamation suit August 12, 2014 over comments Ford made about Blair. Reuters

A Canadian teenager was stabbed to death late on Monday, Aug 19.

Jesse Clarke, a Delta Secondary School student, was killed at around 10 pm in Steeltown. The 14-year-old old was allegedly killed by another teenager, 18. Officers of Hamilton Police found the lifeless body of Clarke after there had been a "disturbance" call in the Lincoln Avenue area. According to the official police statement, the officers "found a 14-year-old male suffering from a stab wound. The young male was taken to hospital by ambulance where he was pronounced dead."

Det. Sgt. Matt Kavanagh later said that officers were of aware of a group of young men fighting with another group. He said that the fight apparently went out of control as one of the young men was killed by the stabbing injuries he suffered. Clarke was pronounced dead after he had been rushed to hospital. Brodie Nicholls, suspected of being responsible for the murder, was also taken to hospital. The young man was treated for some minor wounds and later released from hospital.

Nicholls was produced in court on Tuesday as he faced a second degree murder charge. Even though Kavanagh said that the suspect had already been "known to police," Beth Bromberg - the defence lawyer - told CBC News that his client had no previous criminal record. She said that her client was a very young man, and things were much different from what it might seem to be, Bromberg said that she would certainly be defending the charges.

Nicholls wore a white coloured prison jumpsuit along with shackles when he appeared in court. There was a thick bruise visible on his neck. He hardly looked up during the court proceeding as he spoke softly when needed to. "It is also a terrible tragedy for the victim," Bromberg said as Nicholls was detained in custody. He is scheduled to reappear in court on Sept 2.

Clarke's friends gathered to post memorials near the spot where he had been killed. They were seen exchanging hugs and mourning for their deceased friends.

According to police, this is the sixth incident of homicide in Hamilton in 2014.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au