Victim reacts to sentence in downtown theatre stabbing

A 48-year-old accountant stabbed in front of a downtown movie theatre says he is disappointed with the sentence handed down to his attacker. 

Julian McKay,40, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to stabbing Kelly Lutz five times in front of the Galaxy Cinemas in February 2015. Lutz had been headed into the theatre to pick up movie passes for his kids when McKay ran across the street and attacked him.

In the days after the attack, it came out that McKay had been removed from the nearby Lighthouse shelter after being found roaming the halls looking for one of the residents.

Lutz heard in court that McKay was also drinking and off his medication for schizophrenia at the time. Lutz said McKay claimed not to remember the incident, but took responsibility for the crime. 

“You have to feel sorry, within reason, for somebody who’s in that position. Although, some of the reasons he’s there are himself, right?” Lutz said, adding that he holds no ill will towards McKay.

Rather, Lutz said he feels let down by the justice system. McKay was sentenced to three-and-a-half years. With credit for time in remand, he has 21 months left to serve.

Lutz said he still experiences stiffness in his lower back and some numbness in his hand just over a year after the attack.

“I believe that if my injuries would have been worse, the sentence might be higher. That’s what I took out of it. And it would be,certainly, too bad in society if I’d have to be paralyzed or have permanent damage to have a longer sentence,” Lutz said.

With McKay pleading guilty, Lutz said he’s glad he won’t have to sit through a trial.

“Again, the way the system works is: I take the time off work, I’m the one who pays for parking, I might have to cancel my holidays to do that, and the accused — they don’t have to do that,” Lutz said. 

Lutz said he doesn’t think plans for downtown development will take off until government and community groups address concerns about safety.

“That will not happen until the downtown is a place where everyone feels safe and comfortable and wants to come. I think it needs to be a bigger discussion and I think it really should be a bit of an election issue as we get into the civic election in the fall,” he said. 

McKay will be subject to two years’ probation upon his release, with conditions that he not consume alcohol or any drug not prescribed to him. He will also be required to attend any scheduled medical appointments.