HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — A prominent Canadian LGBT activist and journalist was found beaten to death outside a popular gay bar in Halifax early Tuesday morning.
Raymond Taavel, 49, the former editor of the LGBT magazine “Wayves” and former co-chair of PrideWeek Halifax, was found bleeding and unconscious outside the Menz & Mollyz bar in Halifax at about 2:30 a.m. by a passerby who called authorities.
via FacebookRaymond Taavel
One witness told police that he saw a large man attack two smaller men, one of whom fled as the attacker slammed the other man’s head into the street. Two other witnesses told police the attacker used homophobic slurs during the beating.
Palmeter said Taavel died at the scene as a result of his injuries.
A police K-9 unit was used to track the assailant to a nearby alley where he was hiding behind some trash cans. Andre Noel Denny, 32, is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court Wednesday on a charge of murder according to Palmeter.
Denny is a psychiatric patient from the nearby East Coast Forensic Hospital who failed to return to the facility after a one-hour leave. He is one of three patients who did not return to the hospital Monday. One of those patients is still at large.
Capital Health, the private organization that runs the hospital, told LGBTQ Nation that it has launched an internal review into the matter and will not make further comment pending the outcome of that inquiry.
The CBC reported that Denny was sent to the facility after being found not criminally responsible on a charge of assault causing bodily harm in Sydney.
In court documents, the man is described as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. He is also described as being grossly psychotic with a history of aggressive impulsivity and unpredictability.
Tributes to Taavel have been expressed by scores of Halifax citizens and fellow activists shocked by his murder. “I think I have the same sense of shock as everyone else who is connected to the community,” says Kevin Kindred, of the Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project.
“It’s incalculable, he was such a beautiful spirit,” says Halifax activist Hugo Dann.
“Anyone who got involved in gay rights in Halifax, knew Raymond. Raymond took his knocks, but he never stopped smiling and he never failed in kindness. That’s the loss that will stick with me because he was unfailingly kind … I think people will want to go out, to be together. I don’t think our community ever hides,” Dann said.
Filed under: North America
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OMG, this is terrible! I always thought these things didn’t happen in Canada :(
I can’t take much more!
First Kenneth’s death over the weekend, now this. How much worse is it going to get???
WHAT THE IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE!? some people are gay, get over it!
-bows head-
This is not cool or right at all. Prayers to the family. This really hurts me.
Our hearts are with you in Halifax tonight.
OUTRAGED
god damn this planet.
How sad R.I.P.
May his murderer (or murderers) rot in hell for the heinous crime they commited, taking this man’s life away.
I live in sydney nova scotia and have friends in hali and this is to close to home
I’m reading this, understanding that there were witnesses, yet no one intervened to help this man. How do these people sleep at night?
Did anyone read about the people that committed this crime..who would let them roam free for an hour?!
what is with people
That is so sad and my prayers go out to his family.
This is a heart breaking tragedy. I’m so sorry for Raymond T., his surviving family, friends & acquaintances.
In court documents, the man is described as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. He is also described as being grossly psychotic with a history of aggressive impulsivity and unpredictability…so why was this guy permitted an outing at all, let alone unsupervised?
BOOOO — first the 14 yr old in IA takes his own life, now THIS? i HATE this, HATE this, HATE this
Prayers to his family. Prayers for the witnesses who didn’t step up as well, that they realize that they were wrong. I can’t hate them, because that would not make me any better than those who hate my LGBTQ community. Prayers for just punishement.
That’s heartbreaking.
Candles are being lit tonight up and down the province in big and small gatherings. None close enough to physically attend though… :(
sad sad day
so sad to hear this news :(
Damn!
Why? Why can’t we just live and let live? What are these people do afraid of? If they only knew what cowards this makes them
Absolutely awful! Prayers to his family. Love one another! Stop the hate!
May he rest in peace…my thoughts are with his family.
We need to make a stand We are who we are i wish i could change me for my family i cant change that feeling that u cant what the heart wants
:( so wrong…
What a terrible loss for his family and the world. <3 Rest in peace, Raymond.
This violence needs to end!!!! What does it matter whether you’re white, black, gay, straight….we’re ALL humans….we need to start acting like it!
Very, very sad.
That’s so sad. Honestly ppl make me sick
R.i.p. our fight continues.equal rights are NOT special rights! Sick to my stomach.why so much hate in the world?!????? Thoughts and prayers goin out to his family and our family!!!!!!
:(
Why are people “liking” this?
This is so horrible.
@ Holly Mayer: a) People hit “like” for this page, not to say they LIKE the content obviously, but to show acknowledgment, support, solidarity, many other reasons than LIKE. b) There are functional reasons too that I do not understand, with certain numbers of likes checked meaning something or other on Facebook – this I am guessing as people say “please like my page” (but I don’t understand this part). Take care. A tragic and devastating death.
What the hell! This is terrible :(
From the Halifax Chronicle tonight –
http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/87682-slaying-suspect-has-history-of-mental-health-woes-run-ins-with-law
late TV news said the suspect was on a 1 hour pass and did not return.
Raymond Vigil http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/87677-friends-remember-taavel-with-vigils-tributes
“Compassionate, Caring, Outgoing, Welcoming”
Vigil held on Gottingen Street following murder of Raymond Taavel
http://halifax.mediacoop.ca/story/%E2%80%9Ccompassionate-caring-outgoing-welcoming%E2%80%9D/10566
Poem Tribute to Raymond Taavel
http://halifax.mediacoop.ca/blog/steve-caines/10567
:( prayers to his family,friends and loved ones…R.I.P. Mr.Taavel
so very sad. i understand the killer is a paranoid schizophrenic and was “out for an hour” from an institution. so many questions why.
that’s very sad.