'Hopeful he'll return back to us': Victim in downtown Calgary random assault fights for life in hospital
The family of a man in a Calgary hospital after being assaulted downtown in a series of violent attacks last week is praying he pulls through and are looking for answers as to why it happened.
“We’re just basically seeing how he does one day to the next,” said Candice Richards.
Her younger brother, Michael Richards -- who she endearingly refers to as Mikey -- was among three people seriously injured Friday morning in what police are calling “random attacks.”
Richards says her brother, who will turn 34 in two days, suffered a brain bleed, broken jaw among other injuries and was barely recognizable when she first visited him in hospital.
“He’s not awake or able to communicate. He’s not able to open his eyes," she said. "They have him in a medically induced coma but are waking him every four hours to check his brain activity.”
Mikey is from Fort McMurray but was in Calgary visiting family at the time of the attack.
Richards was told by investigators that her brother was found bleeding badly from the head and unconscious in a bus shelter at Sixth Avenue and First Street S.W.
According to police, he was the second victim to be found, roughly 90 minutes after the first victim used the emergency button at the Fourth Street CTrain station after being slashed by someone with a machete around 3 a.m.
A third victim was found near the Peace Bridge and was taken to hospital with injuries to his hand.
Richards says she hopes to find and thank the person who found her brother and called for help.
“Whoever you are out there, just know we will forever be grateful,” she says. “I believe he was discovered because he wasn’t meant to go, he was meant to survive.”
Mikey is a member of the McMurray Métis and according to Richards, the community has been rallying behind her brother since finding out about the attack.
Richards has been told if her brother pulls through he’ll have a very long recovery including reconstruction to his face and possible speech or memory loss, though it’s too early to tell.
She and her family are currently raising funds through a GoFundMePage to support him in his hopeful recovery.
“He’s got a huge heart, he cares a lot about everybody he would help anybody in need he’s just that kind of guy he’s a big softy, we just want him back we just want him to recover," she said.
Man charged is son of CPS officer
Candice has many questions about her brother’s attacker and was shocked to learn the man charged is the son of a serving officer with the Calgary Police Service (CPS).
Conner Dery is charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
CPS says Dery’s father recognized a CCTV image of the suspect police were searching for Friday and identified his 25-year-old son to police.
“We’re obviously very angry, hurt and confused. We don’t know why anybody would do this to Mikey because he’s harmless, he would never harm anyone,” said Richards.
At this point in the investigation, Calgary police say there are no known motives for the attacks or known similarities with the victims.
Originally a fourth victim was reported by police but investigators deemed that case to be unfounded.
Dery made his first court appearance Monday, charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of carrying a concealed weapon. Court was told he has a brain injury. His defence lawyer tells CTV Dery is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation and is due back in court Wednesday.
So far the charges aren’t in connection with what happened to Mikey but Davison says she and her husband watched the first court appearance virtually and she hopes to find some answers through the court process as to why her brother was targeted.
Police continue to ask anyone with information about the attacks downtown on Friday to contact them at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.