Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested parents give two boys connected to an alleged assault on a Hamilton cadet leader “a little ass whooping in the wood shed,” CBC News reports.

Ford made the remarks at a news conference a week after Hamilton police announced charges against a 12-year-old boy and a 48-year-old woman. Police said a second boy was not arrested after officers reviewed footage of the incident.

According to CBC reporter Justin Chandler, the cadet leader was supervising young cadets distributing Remembrance Day poppies at the Centre on Barton mall. Police said two boys approached and blew loud air into the cadets’ ears.

The 59-year-old commanding officer followed the boys into a nearby restaurant to confront them, where police said “a struggle ensued.” Police allege a woman intervened to assist the boys and assaulted the officer, causing him to fall, and that the 12-year-old struck him several times.

The boy faces aggravated assault and assault level one charges, police said. The woman was charged with assault.

The officer’s family identified him as Capt. Kenneth Kunkel. His daughter, Kimberly Dietrich, told CBC’s Hanomansing Live on Nov. 5 that he was unable to walk and was “trying his hardest to recover.”

CBC noted that Ford has previously commented on criminal cases. Lawyers have told the broadcaster that public officials should be cautious because such remarks risk prejudicing juries and contributing to misinformation.

Sources