Ian McQuarrie

Captain Ken Kunkel, pictured on the left, has been identified as the cadet supervisor who was the victim of an aggravated assault on November 1st. Kunkel is currently in the hospital with a spinal injury. Capt. Ken Kunkle is the Commanding Officer of the 826 Gryphon Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, based in Binbrook, Ontario. Estela Quintanilla, pictured on the right, as well as two unidentified male minors, were the alleged perpetrators of the violent attack. Quintanilla did not know any of the other parties in the altercation. Quintanilla and a 12-year-old male are facing charges of aggravated assault. The 11-year-old male cannot be charged because under Section 13 of the Criminal Code of Canada, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is 12 years old. Leading up to the assault, two cadets were doing a poppy drive on Sunday at a mall when the two unidentified males assaulted them by honking a compressed air horn in their ears and faces. Air horns can easily produce sounds exceeding 120 decibels. Close-proximity exposure can cause immediate and permanent hearing loss or eardrum trauma. A compressed air horn can be legally classified as a weapon if it is used to intimidate or assault someone. The cadets reported what had happened to their supervisor, Capt. Kunkel. Hearing what happened, Capt. Kunkel responded and followed the males into a nearby Mandarin restaurant to prevent the alleged male aggressors from fleeing before police could arrive. According to the Hamilton Spectator, "A struggle then ensued over one of the youths' backpacks as the commander tried to keep them from fleeing until officers arrived, according to Const. Trevor McKenna. The boys, in turn, 'snatched' his keys and lanyard." At this point, Quintanilla is alleged to have tripped Capt. Kunkel. As he lay defenseless on the ground, the male aggressors reportedly began to punch Capt. Kunkel and stomp on his head. All parties involved in the aggravated assault then fled the scene of their crime. The alleged male aggressors were found nearby at another establishment, where they were causing a disruption. They were throwing around objects inside a retail store. The police found them when they responded to a call about their criminal conduct in the store. It is unknown whether or not the cadets sustained injuries in the initial alleged compressed air horn assault. Quintanilla could not be reached for comment. Further reporting will be done about this story this evening, streaming live tonight at 7 PM EST. A close family friend has set up a fund to assist Ken Kunkel and his family with his very serious injuries. 🔗 to the fundraiser and the Hamilton Spectator article in the comments.