Church says will support Canadian bus beheading suspect and wife
by Jenna Lyle
Posted: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 10:56 (BST)
A church that once employed the man charged with attacking and beheading his seatmate on a bus in Canada last week says it plans to offer support to the accused and his wife.
Grant Memorial Church in Winnipeg formerly employed 40-year-old Vince Weiguang Li as a church custodian after he immigrated to Canada in 2004. Li, a Chinese immigrant, has been charged with second degree murder for the brutal attack on 22-year-old Tim Mclean on a Greyhound bus as it made its way along the TransCanada Highway in Manitoba late last Wednesday.
The church's leader, Pastor Tom Castor said on Sunday that there had been nothing in Li's behaviour to cause concern.
"He seemed like a person who was happy to have a job, was committed to doing it well and didn't stand out in any way (in terms of) having anger issues or having any other issues," Castor was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.
Li left his job at the church in spring of 2005 before moving to Edmonton, where he was working as a newspaper courier up to the time of the attack.
His newspaper employer, Vince Augert, described Li as a "model employee" who was "very punctual" and "a very nice, polite guy".
In a killing that has shocked the world with its brutality, witnesses say that the suspect suddenly started stabbing the man sitting next to him, before severing his head and cutting up the body within sight of more than 30 horrified passengers who fled the bus.
Li said nothing when he appeared in court in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, last Friday charged with the killing, only nodding slightly when asked if he was exercising his right to remain silent.
Pastor Castor said that Li had been properly vetted before being hired by the church and was without a criminal record. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also said that Li did not have any criminal history.
"We are very thorough in our assessments, and there was nothing we could have foreseen," Castor was quoted as saying by AP.
The pastor said that Li's wife, Anna, also an immigrant from China, was "shocked and very much afraid as to what this is going to mean for her own life".
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The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Tuesday, September 9, 2008, 2:07 (BST)
I know people at the church mentioned in the article. Quietly, they did help both families - and still are.
Bob W., Winnipeg Canada
Added: Friday, August 22, 2008, 16:59 (BST)
an eye for an eye will make everyone blind. if he was a perfectly fine human being prior to this incident, then they have every right to support this man, thats what a good person does. he's clearly not mentally well, because you don't see people going around doing this every day. I think he's only human, and we all make mistakes, this just happened to be a very big, terrible and unfortunate one. It is absolutely tragic, but I think the three of you should think before you completely look past the fact that he is a human being too. I can't imagine what the family would feel like, i know is hard to lose someone, especially in that situation.
Also, why would you compare him to an animal. Animals do not need the reputation of being brutal slaughterers because they are not. Humans are if any being is, the way WE treat animals. Killing them without even taking consideration for how they may feel, for their body on our plates, making a "Tasty" meal. ugh.(that comment bothered me too much to not say anything, sorry. too hard to help.) I probably sound a lot angrier than i meant to in this comment, so please don't get mad about my refuation, i'm just trying to bring light to the other side. don't think that I believe that he shouldn't be away from people, but he's clearly a troubled man who i do not believe should be judged so quickly. its not completely unbelieveable that he was a good employee. WE didn't know him before, so who are we to say?
P.S. I am not christian, so this is not a bias defending the church, just my opinion.
sharon, winnipeg, canada
Added: Thursday, August 7, 2008, 0:33 (BST)
This was indeed a very heinous crime. It's also human nature to lash out at those who are seemingly supportive of the perpetrator rather than the victim. I'm not sure exactly how the church plans to "support" the guy who did this but I'm fine with them helping the wife. I wish that they would also seek to offer help to the Mclean family as well - in whatever way would be most helpful. As for Li, he is clearly mentally ill and thus, I don't wish for him to see a quick, painful end. He certainly deserves, however, to never live in the outside world again - he is clearly a danger to society.
MEG, Northern California
Added: Wednesday, August 6, 2008, 14:06 (BST)
I think that the two comments already posted say it all, most especially MMT, I TOO can barely breathe thinking of what has happened and my heart breaks for his family, friends, the other passengers and the bus driver on that bus, they will never be same !!
This young man was just beginning his life and some twisted demented animal took it all away, and there's the "Church", backing up the Demon, go figure!!!!!!!
DJR, Winnipeg Canada
Added: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 20:47 (BST)
I don't understand, why you or anyone would want to help that sorry pethetic excuse for a human being. I DO 100% agree that his family does need support through this time. I don't understand why or how anyone could, or even want to help that PIG.
I am sorry for being to harsh but you should just take a minute and think about how Tims family feels.
Lacey, High River Canada
Added: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 15:51 (BST)
How very generous of you in a sick twisted manner! The man is an animal and only the cloak of religion would DARE offer him anything for support! A young man is dead..brutalized with such indignity I can barely breathe thinking about it! I've never been happier to be an Atheist! But Hey..he was a good friggin custodian! I wish I could believe for just a split second there is a Hell because that Man would surely burn there! Bahhhhh Religion..what a joke! An eye for an eye!
MMT, winnipeg, Canada
