Teen girls charged with murder in Toronto ‘swarming’ death were after liquor bottle, witness says | 24CA News

Warning: This story contains graphic particulars.

An alleged “swarming” assault in Toronto began when the eight teen ladies charged within the slaying tried to take a liquor bottle from the sufferer and his good friend, the good friend says.

That witness, who CBC Toronto has agreed to not title, mentioned she was smoking a cigarette with the person outdoors a downtown shelter early Sunday when the group of teenagers approached them and tried to take her alcohol. 

The 59-year-old sufferer, who police haven’t publicly recognized, informed the ladies to go away the 2 of them alone, the girl mentioned.

“He protected me,” she added.

That’s when the group of ladies began to punch him repeatedly, she recalled. Frightened by the violence, she walked away whereas one of many ladies adopted her. She mentioned she may see a number of blood.

“Bleeding, bleeding, bleeding. I didn’t know if they had a knife or what. I was just scared,” she mentioned. “I think they stabbed his belly.”

She mentioned she went into the shelter and introduced him water afterwards. “I didn’t know he would die,” she mentioned.

Local news channel CP24 cited Toronto police Det.-Sgt. Terry Browne as saying {that a} dispute over a liquor bottle was by some means concerned within the preliminary section of the lethal encounter.

The assault occurred round 12:15 a.m. ET close to the nook of York Street and University Avenue, simply steps from Union Station. 

Teens charged with 2nd-degree homicide

At a news convention Tuesday, Browne mentioned the sufferer was overwhelmed and stabbed by the group, which included three 13- year-olds, three 14-year-olds and two 16-year-olds. All eight have been charged with second-degree homicide. Their identities are protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act. 

According to Browne, it seems the teenagers related on social media, but it surely’s not but clear how or why they ended up downtown late Saturday and into Sunday morning. They all dwell in several components of the town, he mentioned.

Investigators don’t have any proof that the sufferer was identified to them, Browne added. All of the teenagers appeared in court docket on the weekend, with additional court docket appearances scheduled for Dec. 29.

Browne mentioned police would not describe the ladies as a gang at this level, however investigators are calling the incident a “swarming,” which he mentioned usually includes choosing a goal to victimize.

As of Tuesday night, police had been nonetheless making an attempt to inform the entire man’s subsequent of kin.

Browne mentioned the person had solely just lately entered into the town’s shelter system and that he had supportive household within the space.

“I wouldn’t necessarily call him homeless, just recently on some hard luck,” Browne mentioned.

His dying was the 68th murder in Toronto in 2022. 

Toronto Mayor John Tory mentioned in an announcement that he’s “deeply disturbed” by the main points of the case.

“Everyone in our city deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. I am so saddened to know that a man has lost his life in this way,” he mentioned.

“I am extremely troubled by the young age of those accused and by the number of people allegedly involved in this murder. My thoughts are with this man’s friends and all those who knew him as they mourn his loss,” he added.

Police are interesting for data from anybody who was within the space of the assault between about 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.