Eight teenage girls who met on social media have been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing of a 59-year-old man, Toronto police said.
A man, who was not identified, had recently moved into the shelter system and was stabbed to death allegedly by the young suspects in Toronto’s downtown area early on Sunday morning.
The police said emergency crews responded to the scene around 12.17am in the area of York Street and University Avenue.
The man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries where he was declared dead.
The girls were arrested near where the attack took place.
The three arrested girls were between 13 and 16 years of age, the police said.
Detective sergeant Terry Browne of Toronto Police Service Homicide Squad said the girls were trying to take a bottle of alcohol from the man.
“I’ve been in policing for almost 35 years and you think you’ve seen it all,” Sergeant Browne said.
“Anyone who isn’t shocked with hearing something like this has clearly just thrown in the towel and just said that anything is possible in this world.
“Eight young girls and most under the age of 16. If this isn’t alarming and shocking to everyone, then we’re all in trouble quite frankly.”
He said he would not describe the group a “gang” but they got into a “swarming-type behaviour”.
“They met each other through social media. They come from varying parts of the city,” he said.
“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 were acquainted with each other.”
Prior to the stabbing, the same girls were allegedly involved in another altercation earlier in the night. But the police did not divulge details or release the names of the girls due to a provision in the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Three of the girls had prior encounters with the police.
“Maybe these were eight young women that wanted to make a name for themselves and see if they could become socially famous,” he said.
Police said they are all equally culpable.
“There is no doubt in our minds that they were all working as a singular entity in a swarming mob mentality when they chose to attack this man.”
He said a number of weapons have been seized.
“It’s bizarre that they would all have hooked up together and found their way to downtown Toronto. Their primary residences are all over the place,” he said.
He added that the girls’ parents were shocked to find out that their children were involved in a serious crime like this.
The girls have made their first court appearance and remain in custody. Their next court appearance is scheduled on 29 December.
Speaking about the victim, Sergeant Browne said they are trying to reach the next of kin of the man.
“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,” he said.
Police have urged anyone with information on the incident to contact the investigators.
