Toronto: According to Toronto police, eight teenage girls who allegedly met on social media have been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 59-year-old man.
Authorities claim that the girls attacked and stabbed the man early on Sunday morning in Toronto's downtown. Police reported that after being treated at a hospital, the man passed away.
The eight girls were detained close to the scene of the attack, according to the police. The girls range in age from 13 to 16, with two being 16 years old.
They believe the girls were attempting to steal a bottle of alcohol from the man, according to Detective Sgt. Terry Browne of the Toronto Police Service Homicide Squad.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Browne said, "I've been in law enforcement for almost 35 years and you think you've seen it all. Anyone who doesn't express shock upon hearing something like this has obviously given up and declared that anything is possible in this world. Eight young girls, the majority of them under sixteen. In all honesty, if this doesn't alarm and shock everyone, we're all in trouble.
According to Browne, the same girls got into a fight earlier that evening in the neighbourhood. He declined to provide more information about that.
They got to know one another via social media. They originate from various areas of the city, according to Browne. "We have no idea how or why they connected that evening or why they chose to travel to downtown Toronto. How long they had been acquainted with one another is unknown. At this point, I wouldn't classify them as a gang.
They took part in a "swarming," according to Browne. He refused to say if they recorded it on video. He stated that they would check online to see if there were any similar attacks.
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He speculated that perhaps these eight young women were trying to establish their names and see if they could gain notoriety in the public eye.
Police think that everyone involved acted together.
All of them are equally responsible, he said. We have no doubt that when they decided to attack this man, they were acting as a single unit with a swarming mob mentality.
He claimed that several weapons had been found, but he would not specify what kind. Three of the girls, according to him, had prior run-ins with the law, he added.
"It's strange that they would have all connected and travelled to downtown Toronto together. Their main residences are scattered all over," he said.
Police allegedly spoke to the teens' parents, according to Browne.
I can attest that it was shocking for them to learn that their kids were involved in such a situation, he said.
Because the girls are minors, Canadian authorities are prohibited by law from disclosing their names.
They are still being held in custody despite their initial court appearance. The following court date is December 29.
According to Browne, the victim moved into the Toronto shelter system in September. He claimed that some members of his family couldn't be reached and that they wouldn't reveal his name until they did.
He does have a close-knit family in the neighbourhood, so I wouldn't say he is homeless. Maybe recently due to some bad luck," he suggested.
According to Browne, police are asking anyone who saw the group of teenagers that evening to get in touch with them.
Young teen boys would swarm others in Toronto 20 or 30 years ago and attempt to steal Dr. Martens boots or Air Jordan shoes for a while, but he claimed that practise eventually faded away.
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"Has this recently occurred without our knowledge? Has anyone been publishing this information online that we are unaware of? " he asked. We will make an effort to learn more about it.