Eight teen girls have been charged with second-degree murder after a 59-year-old man was stabbed to death in downtown Toronto last weekend, police say.
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.
Det. Sgt. Terry Browne said EMS staff were flagged down by a group of people.
A man had been assaulted and stabbed by a group of teenage girls, police said.
He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries where he died.
“As the investigation unfolded, it was learned very early on that the suspects involved in this were being described as eight young females,” Browne said.
“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.”
Three 13-year-old girls, three 14-year-old girls and two 16-year-old girls have each been charged with second-degree murder. They can’t be identified due to a provision in the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The girls appeared in court on Sunday and are scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 29.
They were remanded into custody.
Police haven’t identified the victim, who is from Toronto, as they are working to notify his next-of-kin.
Browne said what’s alleged to have happened is “swarming-type behaviour” but said he wouldn’t call the group a “gang.”
He said the group of girls met each other on social media and come from different parts of the city. It’s not clear how long they have known each other, he said.
It’s also not clear why they went to downtown Toronto that night, Browne said.
Prior to the killing, the girls allegedly were involved in another altercation. Browne appealed for anyone who was in the area of York Street and University Avenue sometime after 10 p.m. on Saturday and had an interaction with them to come forward.
He said they were in the area by around 10:30 p.m.
“I think they would be easily identifiable because these two interactions involved what would be described as criminal behavior,” Browne said.
“So if you were a victim or had contact with these individuals, we’d like to hear from you.”
Browne said three of the accused have had prior contact with police, while the other five haven’t had any contact with officers.
As for the victim, Browne said he recently moved into the shelter system, but did have a “very supportive” family in the area.
A number of weapons were recovered, Browne added.
Anyone with information on the incident is being asked to contact investigators.