Ontario police say 'escalating incidents' between high schools connected to deadly crash

“Escalating incidents” between two Hamilton high schools are believed to be connected to a car crash last week that left a 15-year-old boy dead, police say.

Witnesses reported to police that two or three vehicles were racing on the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, near the Upper Gage Avenue overpass, just after 2:30 p.m. on Friday.

At one point, two of the vehicles collided and lost control.

While the driver of one vehicle regained control, the other, who was driving a Toyota SUV, left the road and rolled several times, police said, adding that one or more occupants were ejected from the vehicle.

Three of the Toyota’s occupants were transported to hospital with serious injuries. One of the occupants, a 15-year-old boy from Hamilton, was pronounced dead shorty after.

In an update on Monday, police said investigators have since learned that the drivers of a black Ford Focus and a silver Infiniti were chasing a Toyota Rav 4 in the parking lot at St. Jean de Brebeuf Secondary School “moments before the fatal collision.”

“The collision is believed to be connected to a series of escalating incidents between St. Jean de Brebeuf and Nora Frances Henderson students,” police said.

Police have not said what preceded the chase or released any additional information about the apparent tensions between the two schools.

The 15-year-old boy who died has not been identified by police, however, 18-year-old Hamilton resident Vincenzino Stumpo has been charged with dangerous operation causing bodily harm and dangerous operation causing death.

It’s unclear if Stumpo or the victim were students at either school.

Hamilton police said it will work with the communities of both schools, which are located a little over a kilometre away from each other, to “ensure the safety of staff and students.”

Police added that “officers will be in the area of St. Jean de Brebeuf and Nora Frances Henderson Secondary schools on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 to maintain a secure environment and address any concerns.”

The driver of the silver Infiniti has not yet been located and investigators are advising him to surrender to police.

Police said their investigation into the crash continues and are asking anyone who witnessed the collision to contact investigators at 905-546-4753 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.