A 13-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 54-year-old man in the city’s west end.
Toronto Police said officers responded on Tuesday at around 12:20 a.m. to a shopping plaza in the Jane St. and St. Clair Ave. W. area.
Police found a man bleeding to death on the sidewalk behind a Denny’s restaurant. First responders performed life-saving measures but the man died at the scene.
The victim hasn’t been identified by investigators pending notification of his family or relatives.
An elderly woman who has lived in the area for 65 years told a Sun reporter earlier this week that she believed the man was homeless, but “never bothered anybody” and was friendly.
The 13-year-old accused can’t be named as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
This is the 67th homicide in Toronto this year.
It was among a series of violent incidents to hit Greater Toronto Area streets this week.
Five people are dead and several others injured in a 24-hour span earlier this week. Additionally, a 29-year-old plainclothes Toronto cop was seriously hurt during a midtown shootout late Wednesday afternoon.
“We know that the recent violence in Toronto is deeply concerning. Our officers are working around the clock to investigate these situations. You will see an increased police presence in these communities,” Toronto Police duty Insp. Todd Jocko said earlier this week.
Anyone with information on the St. Clair Crossings slaying is asked to call police at 416-808-7400, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or online at 222tips.com.
— with files from Jack Boland