Halifax police say condition of six-year-old stabbing victim has improved

A six-year-old boy was stabbed in Halifax is now in stable condition.

The health of the six-year-old boy who was stabbed multiple times on Sunday in Halifax has improved and he is now in stable condition, police said Tuesday.

The child was rushed to hospital Sunday afternoon with life-threatening injuries, and a 19-year-old woman has been charged with attempted murder.

Premier Tim Houston told reporters Tuesday the stabbing is a “tragic situation for everyone involved” and his prayers are with the boy, his family and those impacted.

“This is an incredible tragedy that has touched all Nova Scotians, and indeed Canadians. It’s really unthinkable at every level, for everyone that’s touched by this,” he said.

Const. Martin Cromwell with Halifax Regional Police told reporters Monday the boy was with his parents on a sidewalk when he was stabbed. Police were called at around 1:20 p.m. to Barrington Street just north of the busy downtown core, where the child was found suffering from multiple stab wounds.

Elliott Chorny was arrested at the scene within minutes of police receiving the call, and police say there’s no evidence that Chorny knew the child, nor is there evidence that the stabbing was a hate crime.

Court documents show that prior to the stabbing, Chorny allegedly assaulted a woman on Jan. 27 in Halifax. The 19-year-old, who is listed as having no fixed address, appeared in Halifax provincial court Monday afternoon to face charges of attempted murder and possession of a dangerous weapon. She was remanded to custody until her next court date on March 13.

Hours after the stabbing on Sunday, Houston posted to X: “The person who did this is clearly a threat to the public and should be kept locked behind bars.”

When asked about that post, Houston said Tuesday, “if there is a person … any person who represents such a danger to others that this could happen, that person shouldn’t just be walking around in society.”

He said he hasn’t yet considered making changes to the provincial Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act, “but we know that in general opening care options to people is important.”

Last week, someone posting on a 4chan online message board said they were Elliott Chorny of Nova Scotia and shared a photo of a birth certificate with the same name and date of birth as the suspect. In the lengthy thread that included the picture of the birth certificate, the person described experiencing suicidal ideation, extreme distress and feeling as though they were possessed by Satan.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.