Residents of Sault Ste. Marie are still reeling from the shock of two random attacks allegedly committed by the same person: a homicide on John Street that claimed the life of 22-year-old Taylor Marshall and a vicious daylight stabbing along the boardwalk near Station Mall.
Steven Jones, a 25-year-old from Toronto, has been charged in connection with both incidents (one count of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder). Sault Police say neither victim knew the suspect, suggesting both crimes were random acts of violence.
In a city already grappling with public safety concerns, the latest headlines have only heightened people's fears. If a man sitting on a public bench can be brutally stabbed for no apparent reason, how can anyone in the Sault feel safe?
“It’s a valid concern and it’s something we have to tackle,” said Mayor Matthew Shoemaker, during a recent interview in our SooToday studio.
The interview was recorded on Sept. 13, one day before police confirmed that the same suspect in the boardwalk attack had been charged with Marshall’s murder.
“Largely, I think it’s safe,” said the mayor, who issued an open letter to the community after the attacks. “But if there is a concern about the perception of safety — and there is a concern about actual safety when you’re going down there — I would point to the fact that we’ve approved private security in the downtown area. We’ve always had security in certain areas of the boardwalk, specifically near the Bondar tent where ships dock regularly in the summer and fall. And so the city can play a role in improving that situation, making sure that people who come down here do feel safe by enhancing the security presence in our community.”
You can watch the mayor's full interview with SooToday HERE.