Canada - Homeless Man, Ken Lee, Stabbed to Death by 8 Teen Girls in "Swarming Attack", Toronto, Dec 2022

tarabull

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rbbm
''Toronto Police say eight girls who met through social media are responsible for the death of a 59-year-old man after they “swarmed” him on the weekend.

Det. Sgt. Terry Browne said bystanders flagged down EMS personnel in the area of York St. and University Ave. shortly after midnight on Dec. 18 to help a man that had been injured.''

''It is extraordinarily rare for young girls to be involved as the perpetrators of armed violence, which typically boils over between their male counterparts, though they are not immune from conflicts. It is rarer still for them to be accused of murder.

Officers, following information the attackers had been eight young females, quickly located them nearby and arrested them, said Toronto police in a news conference on Tuesday.

They were brought to 52 division on Dundas St. West and were all charged with second-degree murder.''

“I wouldn’t describe them as a gang at this point but what (is) alleged to have occurred that evening would be consistent with what we traditionally call a swarming.”

Three of the girls have had prior “contact” with police — not necessarily a criminal record — and the other five had no prior police interactions, Browne said.

The girls — three are 13 years old, three 14-year-olds and two 16-year-olds — made their first appearance in an Old City Hall courtroom on the same day they were arrested.''
 
TRANSCRIPTION OF PRESS CONFERENCE

20TH DECEMBER.

LE - Good afternoon everyone. On Sunday, 18th. Dec., just after midnight, Emergency Medical Services staff were flagged down by a group of individuals who were reporting an assault that had just occurred to an individual, in and around the area of York and University Ave. An emergency medical services staff commenced medical intervention. They realised that the victim had suffered what were described as stab wounds. As a result of that, that individual was transported to a nearby hospital, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries.

As the investigation unfolded, it was learned very early on that the suspects involved in this were being described as eight young females. And, as a result of quick work by officers in 52 Division, these females were able to be located and apprehended and were subsequently brought to 52 Division where they faced the charge, and are, facing a charge of second degree murder in relation to the death of a now 59 yr. old male, who is a resident of Toronto. I cannot release his name at this point because we are still taking steps to notify members of his next of kin, but we will be releasing it sometime in the future.

These eight females range in age from 13-16. Three of them being 13, three of them being fourteen, and two of them being 16 yrs. of age. They've already made their first appearance in court. They are remanded into custody and will be returning again on the 29th. Dec., for their next court appearance.

We're seeking the public's assistance in trying to gather as much evidence as possible. Obviously, we have done a video canvas, as well as a canvas for witnesses in the area. What we can tell you, factually, right now, is that we believe this group of eight young ladies attended the area at least by 10:30 on the 17th. Dec. We have information to believe that this same group of eight young women were involved in an altercation earlier, before becoming involved in this altercation. So, if anyone was in the area of York University Front Street, in that general area, sometime after 10 pm on the 17th. into the 18th., we'd like to speak to you, if in fact you may have had interaction with this group of eight. I think they would be easily identifiable because these two interactions involved in, what would be described as, criminal behaviour. So, if you were a victim or had contact with these individuals, we'd like to hear from you.

Reporter - (I think he asks if it was a girl gang).

LE - What we've gleaned so far, is that these eight individuals, from what we've gathered so far is that they met each other through social media. They come from varying parts of the city. That is to say, they are not from one specific geographic location. We don't know how or why they met on that evening and why the destination was downtown Toronto. We don't know how long they've been acquainted together with each other, but I wouldn't describe them as a 'gang' at this point, but what they are alleged to have occurred that evening would be consistent with what we traditionally call a 'swarming' or swarming type behaviour.

Reporter - Are any of them known to the police?.

LE - Three of them have had prior contact with the Toronto.. with police services, but aside from that, the other five have had no contact with police whatsoever.

Reporter - Was the victim in this a homeless individual?.

LE
- The 59 yr. old victim is currently living in the shelter system but had only been recently moving into the shelter system, so late fall he'd gone there. He does have a very supportive family in the area. So, I wouldn't necessarily call him homeless, maybe just recently on some hard luck.

I can tell you that a number of weapons were secured as well as subject to incident to arrest. I won't get into what those weapons were, but we did, we did secure a number of weapons in regards to these individuals.

When you see the media release, you will see a link that is attached to that media release. That's for anyone that may have any video whatsoever. When you go to that link, you can upload any video that you might have and that goes directly to our evidence section. So, please have a look at the link. If you have something, please share that with us because we would like to get any and all information available.
Thank you.
 
Between this and the mass murder at the condo complex, Toronto is not in a good way right now.
I hear you.
But I think it's a coincidence that there were two horrific crimes on the same weekend. The two crimes couldn't be more different (other than the victims were totally blameless and the culprits were out of their minds).

This case involved very young females, who didn't have a gun. They attacked someone they didn't know.
The condo murders involved a man in his 70s who had a long-standing feud with people in his condo and he killed people he knew. He was bitter, selfish, and used a gun.

Of course it's terrible that both of these senseless crimes happened on the same weekend.
 
"She was in shock and described the attack as having begun when the [group of inebriated passersby] tried to take the alcohol from [Kenney and his friend], he said. Then, it escalated.

“I saw the aftermath of the attack. I saw six females probably in their late 20s, early 30s, standing outside the Union Station stairwell there, arguing, screaming and yelling,” Webber said."
 
rbbm.
"I can't recall ever seeing a swarming type event with such young female suspects that has led to the death of somebody. This is the first that I can recall," Browne said, adding that his unit is seeing a "concerning trend" of younger people being involved in crime.

While he did not call the group a gang, Browne said what the girls allegedly did could be described as "swarming."

Browne said the parents of the eight girls had been notified as police are obliged to do so under the YCJA.

"We were able to contact the parents of each one of these eight individuals. And all families were engaged in the process," he said.

Browne noted it is unclear how long the girls have known each other as they come from different parts of the city.

"They met each other through social media," he said. "We don't know how or why they met that evening and why the destination was downtown Toronto."


"It appears to be just a random, isolated (incident). There was a potential target available and for whatever reason, they all decided to act in concert to remove an item from him, which led to this tragic event," Browne said.

Police have established a dedicated website where people can submit evidence, including videos, about the incident that could help in the investigation.

Browne said investigators are particularly looking to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and had interaction with the group of girls.

"We have information to believe that this same group of eight young women were involved in an altercation earlier," he said.''
 
Crimes perpetrated by teens and sometimes children are the ones that chill me the most.
So young yet filled with (imo) rage !
Or bloodlust.
Or even if only inebriated ... at least one of the group should have have enough sense to tell the others to stop ?

Rest in peace to this man !
I can't begin to fathom his last moments. :(
Imo.
 
This, combined with the seemingly random and major rash of TTC/transit attacks is absolutely terrifying.

I was once out with my mother(in her 60's) walking in a neighbourhood we treasure(where we always stay and go out when visiting the city) when someone(I believe in a mental health crises) yelled things at us and attempted to light my mothers wool coat on fire. This was probably 10 years ago, and my heart is racing just typing this. I can't imagine the terror that people in the city are feeling right now.
 
This is shocking on so many levels. It will be interesting to hear (if we ever do) how they were all connected. They were all from different areas of Toronto so probably didnt go to school together. Isn't it a bit gross to want to drink from some strangers bottle? He was already sharing it with his friend. For some reason I don't think they were trying to steal his mickey of booze. I think they were being mouthy and things escalated. JMO
 
They may have planned this as part of an online 'challenge'. TikTok?? Just wondering. A witness described them as like a pack of wild animals as they swarmed the man. He fought them off but they kept coming back. There were multiple weapons. The witness said they were screaming and yelling afterwards. They were from many different parts of the large city and met on social media.
This poor man...not habitually homeless but just down on his luck.
Rest in peace.
 
Holy "Children of the Corn" Batman!
These girls did not even know one another except from fb, apparently all from different schools, wondering what connects them, are they from similar backgrounds, types of school, do they hate homeless people but love booze, Whatever it is, we better find out, imo, because these kinds of children might well be the mothers of tomorrow.:eek:
 
Okay, I'm old & old-fashioned.

What where these children doing out at midnight???
Toronto police said emergency crews responded around 12:17 a.m. on Sunday to an assault in the area of York Street and University Avenue.
8 teen girls charged in ‘swarming’ murder of 59-year-old man in downtown Toronto: police | Globalnews.ca

I'm with you, although I don't consider myself particularly old fashioned I can't imagine my 13 or 14 year old being out at that hour let alone attacking and killing a person with a group of others.

MOO their social media is going to be key. I think they probably discussed meeting up to pursue some common badgirl interests such as stealing or going out "wilding" on people. It is disgusting some of the tiktok challenges I have seen in the last few years. IMO most of these girls would not have acted in such a manner if not bolstered and emboldened by the fact they had a large group acting in concert with them. IMO they all amped each other up via SM and then all wanted to prove who was the "baddest" of them all.

Horrible. That poor man. As if life wasn't being unkind enough to him.
 
Beaten too, poor man. rbbm.
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''The deadly attack happened near the corner of York Street and University Avenue, just steps away from Union Station, in downtown Toronto. (CBC)
Warning: This story includes graphic details.
An alleged "swarming" attack in Toronto started when the eight teen girls charged in the slaying tried to take a liquor bottle from the victim and his friend, the friend says.
That witness, who CBC Toronto has agreed not to name because they belong to a vulnerable community, said she was smoking a cigarette with the man outside a downtown shelter early Sunday when the group of teens approached them and attempted to take her alcohol.
The 59-year-old victim, who police have not publicly identified, told the girls to leave the two of them alone, the woman said.
"He protected me," she added.
That's when the group of girls started to punch him repeatedly, she recalled. Frightened by the violence, she walked away while one of the girls followed her. She said she could see lots of blood.

"Bleeding, bleeding, bleeding. I didn't know if they had a knife or what. I was just scared," she said. "I think they stabbed his belly."
She said she went into the shelter and brought him water afterwards. "I didn't know he would die," she said.''

''All of the teens appeared in court on the weekend, with further court appearances scheduled for Dec. 29.''

''Police are appealing for information from anyone who was in the area of the attack between about 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.''
 

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