Three Stabbed Women: Survivor's Friends in Shock
Catherine Ready (center) with her friends Nadia Larocque-Lauzon (left) and Katherine Sauvé (right). Catherine was hospitalized Monday night after a stabbing attack in which her mother and little sister were killed.
Almost a week after ;A mother and her two daughters were stabbed in the Alta Vista neighborhood of south Ottawa, the lone survivor's friends are in shock.
Catherine Ready , 19, was taken to hospital on the evening of June 27. She suffered serious injuries after being stabbed by Joshua Graves on the pavement outside the family residence on Anoka Street.
The 21-year-old had just stabbed his mother, Anne-Marie Ready, and his 15-year-old younger sister, Jasmine, to death.
The Ottawa police and paramedics at the scene of the tragedy Monday night
When officers arrived at the scene at around 10:30 p.m., Joshua Graves, the son of the Ready's neighbor, was stabbing the older of the two girls in the street.
According to the Bureau of Special Investigations (BES), the watchdog body for police forces in Ontario, three officers opened fire on the assailant after he refused to drop his knife. Joshua Graves was shot. Catherine Ready was injured by the gunfire.
We were all flabbergasted when we learned what had happened, reports Katherine Sauvé, a friend of Catherine's since the secondary school.
CBC has learned that Joshua Graves has a love interest in one of the victims, as claimed by his own family. A few days earlier, he had been charged with harassment and sexual assault for actions taken against another 16-year-old girl.
Katherine Sauvé is still stunned, as is several other relatives of the Ready family.
She and Catherine attended the Franco-Cité Catholic secondary school together, where they graduated in 2021. The Ready family had returned to Canada a few years earlier, after Anne-Marie had worked at the Canadian Embassy. in Peru.
Catherine Ready at her high school graduation in 2021
Katherine describes her friend as a very kind person, always willing to offer help with schoolwork.
She was so bright…She is so kind and open-minded, emphasizes she.
Catherine was inseparable from her little sister and she was very close to her mother, continues Katherine. The three often took long walks with Jenny, their little dog.
This close-knit family also loved going out for brunch, Katherine recalls.
I'm flabbergasted, honestly. It's so hard to believe that someone could have done this to her, such a nice person.
Nadia Larocque-Lauzon also attended high school with Catherine Ready. It was their shared love of music and podcasts that made them friends.
She was always there for me, she recalls.
After graduating, Catherine went to the University of Ottawa. She was taking psychology courses, says Nadia, and wanted to become a psychotherapist.
I'm sure she will excel, foresees her friend.
Nadia and Katherine both say they long to visit their friend in the hospital, but have not been able to see her until now.
It will take [him] a long time to recover from all this, continues Katherine. With our support, we hope she can weather this storm.
Neighbors have been leaving flowers outside the Ready family residence since mother Anne- Marie, and her youngest daughter, Jasmine, were stabbed to death.
Since Tuesday, neighbors have been passing flowers and cards in front of the Ready residence. Friends and family will hold a vigil to honor the family on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Katherine and Nadia are praying for their friend to survive and recover from this terrible ordeal.
I leave it up to God, Nadia breathes.
With information from Avanthika Anand, CBC
