14-year-old charged with murder after woman, 71, fatally stabbed in Toronto plaza
Toronto police say a 14-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree murder after a woman in her 70s was fatally stabbed while loading groceries in a commercial plaza earlier this week.
Officers were called to the Parkway Forest Drive and Sheppard Avenue East area at around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday for reports of a stabbing.
Investigators say the victim, identified as Shahnaz Pestonji, 71, of Toronto, was attacked in a parking lot before being rushed to hospital, where she later died.
Shahnaz Pestonji, 71
Shahnaz Pestonji, 71, is Toronto's 22nd homicide victim of the year. (Toronto Police Service handout)
Police have previously described the stabbing as 'unprovoked' and say the suspect fled the area before officers arrived.
On Sunday, in a news release, officers say they arrested the 14-year-old in Toronto following what police describe as a 'coordinated effort by multiple units.'
The teen, whose identity is now protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with second-degree murder.
'The name of the Young Person and their photograph can no longer be published/broadcast,' officials wrote.
The charges have not been tested in court, but police say he is scheduled to appear this week on Monday.
Police continue to investigate this case and are asking anyone with additional information to contact investigators.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
10 hours ago
- Global News
Shoplifting on the rise in B.C., but one group says stores have given up reporting
A citizen group advocating for the reduction of street disorder in B.C. says federal crime statistics do not paint the whole picture of what is happening in the province. The agency attributed much of the overall decline in the crime severity index in 2024 to a six-per cent drop in non-violent crime, which includes such crimes as property and drug offences. Story continues below advertisement Save Our Streets in B.C. told Global News that stats show a decrease in certain crimes but that is because many people and businesses have given up reporting to authorities. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'It's driving some companies out of business, losing jobs in certain communities as a result,' Jess Ketchum, co-founder of Save Our Streets, said. It appears, however, that shoplifting is up, with a 66-per cent increase Canada-wide in incidents of shoplifting under $5,000. In B.C., Statistics Canada reports that in the last four years, shoplifting violations have increased nearly 80 per cent. 'We've had particular reports from the Kootenays that would indicate that people have just given up on reporting these crimes because they know the police just don't have the resources to do everything we're asking them to do,' Ketchum added. 2:14 City of Vancouver launches shoplifting and retail theft task force The head of London Drugs says shoplifting often leads to violence against staff. Story continues below advertisement 'Physical assault, death threats are routine, the production of needles, pipes, hammers, weapons that could cause permanent and life-altering harm to employees are routine,' Clint Mahlman, president and COO of London Drugs, said. Mahlman says that increased security measures for his downtown Vancouver stores have been making a difference, along with an extra police presence. B.C. stats show 20,486 incidents in 2020, and 36,851 incidents in 2024, which is an increase of 79.8 per cent, according to Statistics Canada. Last year only 4,040 people were charged and it is not known how many charges led to convictions.
CTV News
10 hours ago
- CTV News
Youth charged with murder in 2024 Vancouver Island homicide
A youth has been charged with second-degree murder and released from custody in a case that began with a missing person report out of Nanaimo last year. The body of Tavis Cagg was found at a home in Lake Cowichan on Sept. 3, 2024, the same day he was reported missing, the RCMP's Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit said last year. A suspect was identified at the time and that person was arrested and charged on Wednesday, according to authorities. 'The suspect has been released by the court and is to abide by multiple court-ordered conditions. The youth's name cannot be released as it is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act,' a Thursday statement from the RCMP said. 'To preserve the integrity of the investigation and the judicial process, no further details will be provided.' When the homicide investigation was first announced, police described Cagg's killing as an 'isolated incident' but did not provide any details on how Cagg died, why his death was suspicious, or the relationship – if any – between the victim and suspect.
Edmonton Journal
13 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
'Public narrative was one-sided': Hockey Canada sex assault defence lawyers respond to verdict
Five former Canadian world junior hockey players were found not guilty in a high-profile sexual assault trial related to a 2018 incident in London, Ont. The case had sparked a national reckoning over hockey culture, and what is and what isn't considered consent. Here's how the lawyers for Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote reacted to Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia's verdict, which was delivered in a London courtroom on Thursday. Article content Article content Article content Mr. McLeod will not be speaking to the media, and I understand the other players will not be speaking to the media. I will not be taking questions and other counsel who come to address you, they will not be taking any questions. Article content Mr. McLeod had confidence in the Justice process, and he welcomes Justice Carrocia's decision, confirming that he and his co defendants are not guilty of sexual assault. Justice Carrocia's carefully reasoned decision represents a resounding vindication for Mr. McLeod and for his co defendants. Justice Carrocia's found that the complainant's testimony was incredible and was unreliable. Article content For years, public perception was shaped by a one-sided narrative from a civil lawsuit that went unchallenged. In large part because hockey Canada settled the claim without first informing or consulting the players. The decision was made unilaterally, and the players were only told of the lawsuit and the settlement after the fact. Had they been consulted, they would have refused to settle, and they would have vigorously contested EM's allegations. Article content Article content That version of events dominated headlines and created a lasting and, a false, a false impression of guilt. It was only through this criminal trial that the allegations were fully and finally tested. The court compared the complainant's 2018 statements to the police, which rightly resulted in no charges with the later conflicting civil claim. Key elements of EM's story were contradicted by the evidence, exposing serious falsehood and leading to today's clear and just verdict of not guilty. Justice Carrocia rejected EM's claims of fear and her claims of non consent. That should be the takeaway from today's judgment. Article content Article content The damage to Mr. McLeod's reputation and his career has been significant. But today's decision begins to restore what was very unfairly taken away from him. Mr. McLeod is deeply grateful to his family, friends, his agent, and everybody who stood by him.
