Hundreds of people packed into a central Ottawa church Friday morning to say their final goodbyes to slain student Brandon Volpi.
Family as well as many teenage friends and students filed into St. Anthony’s Church on Booth St. as rain poured.
"I’ve been crying since I found out, so right now I feel like I don’t have tears to cry anymore," said 17-year-old Adriesca Julot. Volpi used to date her older sister. "Being there...seeing the casket just brings all the memories back," she said.
"He would always be there for people, and it’s just hard because he didn’t deserve it," said St. Pat's student Vanessa James.
18-year-old Brandon Volpi, a St. Pat’s student, was stabbed to death after his prom outside Les Suites hotel in downtown Ottawa during the early morning hours of June 7, 2014.
Students from St. Pat’s, St. Pius and St. Joe’s were staying at Les Suites hotel after their post-prom parties.
Witnesses say a fight broke out in front of the hotel around 3:30 a.m., which is when Volpi was fatally stabbed.
Earlier this week, police issued a Canada-wide warrant for 18-year-old Devontay Hackett, the only suspect so far in the case.
Hackett is wanted for 2nd degree murder in connection with Volpi’s stabbing.
At the funeral, friends and family remembered Volpi as loyal and kind friend who loved sports.
He is Ottawa’s third homicide victim of the year.
