Stabbing victim’s mother no longer feels safe in Yellowknife

The mother of a man stabbed repeatedly in Yellowknife over the weekend says she no longer feels safe in the city she grew up in.

"It's changed so much that we're actually leaving the North,” says Stacey Van Metre. “I'm taking my children and leaving due to the severity of this occurrence."

Chase Van Metre was stabbed 15 times in the parking lot near Coyote’s lounge in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police have since charged Nathan Hodges, 24, with one count of aggravated assault.

“This was a senseless, senseless crime,” Chase's mother says.

“Chase was out having fun playing pool. He walked out into a parking lot and got stabbed. He didn’t know the person. It was random.”

According to Van Metre, doctors and nurses were amazed that Chase walked away from the attack that left gashes on his head, neck and upper body.

He left the hospital on Tuesday with about 50 stitches.

“He’s lucky to be alive,” his mother says.

The mother of three children, Van Metre says her kids all grew up in Yellowknife and graduated from school in the city.

She says the family has received a tremendous amount of support from friends, in the way of message, phone calls, gifts and visitors, but it’s not enough to make her stay.

“I don’t feel safe walking down the street in this community, and I think a lot of other people don’t either.”

She won’t say where she plans to move. For now, she’s focusing on helping Chase recover.

“He’s a well-liked kid. He’s a good kid. He didn’t deserve this.”