Man accused of mass stabbing in North Vancouver, B.C., pleads guilty to all charges

Yannick Bandaogo, the man accused of a March 2021 stabbing spree in North Vancouver that killed one and injured six, has pleaded guilty to all the charges he faced.

Bandaogo was charged with one count of second-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated assault.

"Oui, Mssr. judge," he said Monday as the judge asked, in French, if he pleaded guilty to each offence.

Bandaogo waived his right to a trial and admitted culpability for all of the charges. He also agreed to a statement of facts read aloud by Crown prosecutors.

"I would expect that it's a tremendous relief for a lot of the people involved, the victims and the community to have this result rather than go through what would feel like tremendous uncertainty and anxiety," said Crown prosecutor Daniel Loucks. 

A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 5 through 7. At it, Crown and defence lawyers will make a joint submission for a recommended sentence. Victim impact statements will also be read aloud.

Second-degree murder convictions carry an automatic life sentence, but the question of when parole eligibility will begin remains to be determined. The judge could order Bandaogo eligible for parole after as little as 10 years served, or as long as 25 years.

Once an offender becomes eligible for parole, it's still up to the Parole Board of Canada to decide whether to grant it, and under what conditions.

The stabbing spree happened "within and outside" Lynn Valley Library in North Vancouver on March 27, 2021, and sent shockwaves through the community and across the nation. 

Witnesses to the incident described the scene as "chaos," and said the assailant appeared to be attacking people at random.

Video of the arrest appeared to show the perpetrator stabbing himself and collapsing before police converged on him. Investigators later confirmed that he had suffered "self-inflicted wounds" and undergone surgery. 

A woman in her 20s succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Six others were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

In the hours and days that followed the violence, condolences poured in from across B.C. and across Canada.

At the library, a large memorial grew with candles, flowers, cards and signs reading "Lynn Valley Strong." Dozens stopped by each day to pay their respects.

So far, no motive for the attack has been discussed publicly.

"At this point, it's not something we can get into. There will be a sentencing phase – and a lot of details will be provided at that time," said Georges Rivard, one of Bandaogo's lawyers. 

Bandaogo was charged with second-degree murder the day after the carnage. The other charges were laid several months later, in September 2021. 

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Regan Hasegawa