Teenager Involved in Toronto ‘Swarming’ Incident Admits to Manslaughter
One of eight teen girls charged in the swarming attack that resulted in the death of a Toronto man has admitted to manslaughter.
According to police, among the group that attacked 59-year-old Kenneth Lee, who was residing in a shelter at the time, were three 13-year-olds, three 14-year-olds, and two 16-year-olds. He passed away in the hospital after being swarmed and stabbed in December 2022.
Six of the youths are facing second-degree murder charges, while the remaining two have been charged with manslaughter.
Due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), the names of the underage accused cannot be disclosed.
The teenager who pleaded guilty on May 30 was 13 years old during the incident and is now 15. She is scheduled to appear in court on July 12.
It is anticipated that another girl will also plead guilty to manslaughter. Three others are expected to do the same, but their specific charges are unclear. The other three teens are set to go to trial in Superior Court at a later date.
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Expressing his support for bail reforms implemented by Mr. Ford, Mr. Shum also called for changes to the YCJA.
Concerning the privacy protection afforded to the accused girls, Mr. Shum questioned, “Why do we need to protect their privacy?” He emphasized the importance of identifying young offenders, especially if they are attending school.
Mr. Shum criticized the decision to grant bail for such a serious offense, stating, “The optics of allowing bail continue to demonstrate a weak YCJA system sending a message to young offenders that they can do anything and not be held accountable.”
“We assured him of our unwavering support and anticipated his return. He was striving to resolve his issues independently, and we respected his decision,” she shared.
Describing her brother as someone who would assist anyone in need, whether close friends or acquaintances, Ms. Shum expressed her sentiments.
Tara MacIsaac, Andrew Chen, and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
