A 16-year-old boy is facing multiple weapons-related charges after a group of four teenage boys attacked a member of a group of younger boys Wednesday night.
A group of kids were approached by four teenagers wearing ski masks on Sunningdale Road East, just past Richmond Street, around 9:50 p.m. A 13-year-old boy was assaulted by the group, and witnesses observed one of the suspects produce a gun and strike the 13-year-old boy in the head with it. Police report that the victim suffered minor injuries.
When additional witnesses arrived following the assault, three of the suspects took off but the teen with the gun removed his mask, pointed the firearm and made threats towards one of the witnesses. Witnesses identifed the teen who was in possession of the firearm to police, and an arrest was made at his home on Thursday. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court Friday.
It is still unclear whether the youth had been in possession of a real or imitation firearm at the time of the assault.
“The firearm that the male suspect was in possession of at the time of this incident has not been seized, therefore we don’t have any information in relation to it,” Sgt. Sandasha Bough said.
As a result, the 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified due to provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with assault with a weapon, two counts of uttering threats of death or bodily harm, the use of a firearm during commission of an indictable offence, possession of a firearm contrary to prohibition order, and carrying a concealed weapon.
Police are appealing to witnesses to help identify the other three suspects. Witnesses have all been described as male, slim and wearing a ski mask. One of the suspects has been noted to have black hair and be wearing all black at the time of the incident.