WATCH ABOVE: A 13-year-old boy and an 18-year-old boy have been charged in connection with the shooting death of 14-year-old Lecent Amos-Ross. Based on the number of charges laid, police allege this was no accident. Catherine McDonald has more.
TORONTO — Toronto police have charged a 13-year-old youth and an 18-year-old man in connection with the shooting death of 14-year-old Lecent Ross at a residence in Etobicoke last month.
Toronto police 23 Division Superintendent Ron Taverner told reporters during a press conference Friday morning that the names of the accused will not be released “due to links drawn between the two.”
Both face a combined total of 23 charges including unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless storage of a firearm, weapons dangerous and giving a false statement, with the 13-year-old facing the lone charge of manslaughter.
WATCH: Toronto Police superintendent talks about ‘disturbing’ nature of Lecent Ross murder
“This is a very sad case with two people charged. It’s very disturbing to the community at large,” said Taverner, who believes there is potential for additional charges.
The accused appeared in court on Thursday with another appearance scheduled for next Wednesday.
VIDEO: Toronto police update investigation into shooting death of Lecent Ross
Ross’ family, who were present at the press conference, expressed their relief over the charges but reminded the public of the dangers posed by gun related violence in the community.
“I believe parents should be held accountable of their kids action,” said Lecent’s mother Alicia Jesquith.
READ MORE: ‘I lost her too soon:’ Mother of 14-year-old fatally shot in Toronto speaks out
“Please stop the violence. Please, look at your kids everyday and tell them you love them. Check their bags, know who their friends are.”
VIDEO: Mother of Lecent Ross pleads with the public for any leads in shooting death of their daughter
Police responded to a shooting call at Jamestown Crescent, in the Kipling Avenue and Albion Road area, at about 10:40 a.m. on July 9.
Toronto Police Det. Richard Petrie said the girl was pronounced dead at 11:30 a.m. and died of a single gunshot wound to her upper body, fired by an illegal semi-automatic handgun, which has since been seized by police.
Petrie said last month that there were no outstanding people related to the shooting and police were interviewing everyone present at the scene.
He added that there was a parent present, as well as other young people, but said the girl did not reside at the residence where the shooting took place.
READ MORE: Fatal shooting of 14-year-old girl in Etobicoke ‘suspicious’: police
Petrie could not confirm reports that the girl had been shot while handling a handgun.
“It’s still an active investigation, that’s certainly something that I’m looking into but I am not considering it an accident at this time,” he said last month, adding that he considered it a “suspicious death.”
“I’m certainly not ready to say that this was done intentionally by her or even an accident by her.”
WATCH: Questions remain in shooting death of 14-year-old girl
Petrie said that he was not ruling out the possibility that someone else at the residence fired the weapon, adding that the gun recovered was a 40-calibre Smith and Wesson handgun with a “very short barrel” that it is considered a “prohibited weapon.”
He added that investigators don’t believe the girl brought the gun to the residence.
“Somebody knew about it, somebody could have called Crime Stoppers,” Petrie said.
“The public knew about this gun it didn’t just show up.”
Paramedics said they had initially transported the girl to hospital in life-threatening condition, but police later confirmed she had died from her injuries.
With files from Mark McAllister and Andrew Russell
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