A third teen has been charged with first-degree murder in the July gas-station slaying of 28-year-old Pickering man Sulakshan Selvasingam that police have tied to the city’s ongoing tow-truck wars.
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On July 6, Toronto Police responded to a call in the Warden Ave.-Ellesmere Rd. area where a man later identified as Selvasingam was found suffering from gunshot wounds. He later died in a hospital, becoming the city’s 45th homicide victim of the year.
On July 15, two youths, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Police alleged that during their arrests they were found to have a Glock handgun.
Police further alleged that the two youths were responsible for 11 additional shooting incidents that happened between June 29 and July 14. Eight of those incidents of violence allegedly happened over the Canada Day long weekend. Police said three different stolen vehicles were allegedly used by the youths during this period and they were facing an additional 154 charges related to the other shootings.
Charged were a 15-year-old boy from Oshawa and a 16-year-old from Stouffville.
Police on Thursday said a third male youth — a 15-year-old from Toronto — has been charged with first-degree murder.
Police said the Selvasingam slaying is allegedly connected to the city’s ongoing tow-truck war and the teens are suspected of being guns for hire.
Toronto Police in August revealed the latest details of Project Beacon, a task force launched on June 27 to combat the rise in gun crime within a segment of the towing industry. Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said at the time that since Jan. 1, there had been 43 tow-truck industry-related shootings and firearm discharges.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-7474 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or 222tips.com.