Latest news with #ShahnazPestonji
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
LILLEY: Toronto is a city in decline, desperately needs new leadership
We need sweeping changes at the Mayor's office, around the council table and at Toronto Police HQ Get the latest from Brian Lilley straight to your inbox Shahnaz Pestonji was allegedly murdered by a 14-year-old boy last week while she was out picking up groceries. She is pictured here with her granddaughter, Shayna, in this photo provided by her family. Photo by Pestonji family / handout / Toronto Sun Toronto is a city in decline in every possible metric. There is no worse example than the murder of 71 year-old Shahnaz Pestonji last week This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Just before 10 a.m. last Thursday, Pestonji was performing the most mundane of acts, picking p groceries. As she was loading her groceries into the car, a 14 year-old boy says he demanded her car keys and when she said no he stabbed her. At least that's what the 14 year-old boy — now arrested and charged with second-degree murder — told his friends what happened during a live chat on social media. Presumed innocent unless proven otherwise, n one of the allegations have been tested in court. 'I didn't mean to f***in' kill the old lady,' the young man, who can no longer be identified, said. In his slang-filled rant from under a hood, the young man described how he wanted the car to whip around town and do all kinds of things; he needed a 'free car.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'But fam, it went left. She wouldn't give me the keys, so I yoked her.' For the sin of not handing over her keys to her own family vehicle, Pestonji was stabbed and left for dead. 'She loved being a grandma,' her daughter, Yasmin, told The Toronto Sun's Jack Boland last week. Yasmin is pregnant with her second child, meaning Pestonji would have been a grandma yet again. Now, the child won't know their grandmother at all, a family is grieving, a neighbourhood is shaking, wondering what has become of our once safe city. York Centre MP Roman Baber gestures at a map of the area around where a homeless shelter is due to be built in his ward during a news conference on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto. Photo by Justin Holmes/Toronto Sun The young man was on the loose until police nabbed him Sunday — his name and face plastered all over traditional and social media in an attempt to find him. With him now behind bars, it is illegal for his name or face to be published – though good luck to authorities wanting it scrubbed from the internet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. What we can say is that the little thug was out on bail already for auto-theft when he allegedly decided to steal a car and stab 'the old lady.' Recommended video Thankfully, Toronto Police haven't reissued their old advice to just always hand over your keys. We should all be able to drive to our local grocery store to pick up a few things without fear of being knifed by a hood with a record. There were 9,570 auto thefts last year, down from an all-time high in 2023 of 12,501, but that is still far above the 3,628 auto-thefts Toronto Police recorded in 2014. Assaults over that time have increased from 17,847 to 25,783 while at the same time, auto thefts have become more violent with carjacking being an increasing trend. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, left, and Councillor Brad Bradford, right, are playing coy about the upcoming mayoral campaign, while former mayor John Tory may be mulling a comeback. Photo by Toronto Sun files How many more grandmas have to die like Shahnaz Pestonji? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. How many more stories do we need like Karolina Huebner-Makurat? On a sunny July afternoon two years ago, Huebner-Makurat, a 44 year-old wife and mother of two was shot and killed by stray bullets. The bullets came from low-life drug dealers fighting over the ability to sell to addicts at the South Riverdale Community Health Centre's now closed 'safe-injection site.' Unfortunately, our city's leadership isn't focused on making us a safer, cleaner and more livable city. Instead, they have their personal, radical political agenda to push through as witnessed by a new shelter proposed in the Wilson and Keele area. A daycare centre is steps away in one direction, while Pierre LaPorte Middle School is steps away in the other direction. Surrounding the area are suburban, middle-class homes and this is where city staff wants to put a homeless shelter that will hand out drug needles, crack pipes and other drug paraphernalia that the city calls 'health services.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This new shelter is just two kilometres from an existing shelter where a man was stabbed and killed just last month. The chaos that I get to see living in the downtown core is being expanded and exported to Toronto's suburbs. Solving these problems — rather than ignoring them or moving them to different parts of town — takes the kind of leadership we haven't seen at City Hall or Toronto Police HQ for a long time. That's why we need to be looking for sweeping change in the mayor's office, around the council table and in the executive offices at TPS. Our city was once safe, clean and livable, and it can be again with new leadership. Celebrity Celebrity Toronto & GTA Canada Other Sports
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
14-year-old charged in deadly stabbing of Toronto senior makes court appearance
A Toronto teen charged with second-degree murder in the deadly stabbing of a 71-year-old woman last week appeared in court Monday. The 14-year-old defendant, who was briefly identified by police by way of a judicial authorization prior to his arrest on Sunday, was dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit as he was spoken to via video link at a Toronto courtroom. Toronto police were called to a commercial plaza near Parkway Forest Drive and Sheppard Avenue East, just west of Highway 404, for a report of a stabbing on the morning of Thursday, July 17. There, officers located a 71-year-old woman who had been stabbed. She was transported to hospital where she was pronounced dead. The suspect fled the scene prior to the arrival of police. Police have identified the victim as Shahnaz Pestonji. They said she was loading groceries into her car before she was stabbed. Initially, police described the attack as 'unprovoked,' but as the investigation unfolded, they said they now believe the stabbing was precipitated by an attempted robbery. 'Through reviewing the video surveillance, speaking with witnesses, and observing the person's movements prior to the attack, we believe that the person intended to rob Mrs. Pestonji,' Det. Matthew Pinfold said Friday, as police identified and released an image of the suspect. The court order to identify the suspect has expired, meaning their identity cannot be released under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The case has been adjourned until July 28. With files from Beth Macdonell
CBC
a day ago
- CBC
14-year-old charged in fatal stabbing of Toronto senior appears in court
Social Sharing A teen charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of a senior in a North York plaza parking lot appeared in court Monday. The 14-year-old wore an orange jumpsuit and sported a wrist brace. The teen talked very little, only speaking up to answer questions from the judge. He is being held at the Toronto Police Service's 14 Division and appeared in court via video. Toronto police said in a news release Sunday that the teenager had been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, following a coordinated effort by multiple police units. His matter was adjourned and he is set to appear next in court on July 28 at 10 a.m. Court heard that Micaele C.K. Zaffina from Dallas Criminal Defence has been retained as the teen's counsel. Zaffina requested time to speak with the teen, telling court he had not yet done so. Due to his age, the teen's name and photos cannot be broadcast under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Shahnaz Pestonji, 71, was loading groceries into her car when she was attacked last Thursday, police said. When officers arrived, they found her with stab wounds. She was taken to hospital, where she died. Police said they believe that the incident was "a robbery that escalated into a deadly attack."
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Teen arrested in fatal ‘unprovoked' stabbing of woman in North York plaza
A 14-year-old boy wanted in the unprovoked stabbing death of a woman loading groceries into her car Thursday morning at a North York plaza has been arrested, police say. Shahnaz Pestonji, 71, of Toronto was killed in an 'unprovoked' stabbing while loading groceries into her car near Parkway Forest Drive and Sheppard Avenue East on Thursday morning, officers said. Pestonji was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead, investigators said, while the suspect fled the area, leading to a police search over several days. The boy, who is from Toronto, was arrested Sunday and charged with second-degree murder, investigators said in a news release . Beneath this violent act lies an issue unfolding in the Greater Toronto Area — a surge in youth crime that many experts describe as a public health crisis driven by poverty, persistently high youth unemployment and inadequate access to social support systems. In 2024, Toronto police charged 13 people under 18 with homicide , up from just three in 2023, and laid gun charges against 168 youth, the most since the pandemic. Nearly two-thirds of Toronto's carjacking-related arrests involved minors in 2023. At a news conference Friday evening, Toronto police said they believe the suspect intended to rob 71-year-old Shahnaz Pestonji when she was stabbed. Search efforts for the suspect included door-to-door canvassing, drones, canine units and reviewing surveillance footage, officers said. The suspect was believed to be 'very knowledgeable of the city, and especially riding the transit system,' Pinfold added. A number of videos claiming to show the suspect are circulating on social media. Toronto police did not confirm if the videos are legitimate. 'We are aware of the videos circulating online. This remains an active investigation, and we are urging anyone who has any information to contact the police,' a police spokesperson told the Star in an email. The accused is scheduled to appear in court at the Ontario Court of Justice at 10 a.m. on Monday. The suspect's age means he cannot be publicly identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police previously received permission to temporarily release the name and photo of the suspect before the arrest. That permission has now expired. The youngest person to ever be charged and found guilty of murder in Toronto was 12 when he fatally stabbed his cousin more than 80 times in September 2023. Pestonji's family described the wife and mother as 'an angel on this Earth' who was devoted to her family after a career working with veterans and seniors as a nurse at Sunnybrook Hospital. Shahnaz Pestonji's family said she had a distinctive, contagious laugh, loved to travel and was an incredible cook. 'There's no doubt in any of our minds that she knows how much we loved her,' her daughter Yasmin, 39, told the Star last week. 'If I could get another hug I would never let go.' Her family said Prestonji had a distinctive, contagious laugh, loved to travel and was an incredible cook. 'She would never say 'I'm busy,'' her daughter Dina, 41, added. 'She made time for everything, especially family.' With files from Estella Ren, Daniel Opasinis, Raju Mudhar and The Canadian Press
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
14-year-old boy charged with murder after woman, 71, fatally stabbed in North York
Toronto police say a 14-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree murder after a woman in her 70s was fatally stabbed late last week in North York. Officers were called to the area of 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 71-year-old Toronto resident Shahnaz Pestonji, was attacked in a parking lot while loading groceries into her vehicle. Pestonji was taken to hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries. Shahnaz Pestonji, 71 Shahnaz Pestonji, 71, is Toronto's 22nd homicide victim of the year. (Toronto Police Service handout) Police have previously described the incident as 'unprovoked' and say the suspect fled the area before officers arrived. On Sunday, police announced the arrest of a 14-year-old boy in Toronto, following what they describe as a 'coordinated effort by multiple units.' He has been charged with second-degree murder and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. The identity of the teen, who is from Toronto, is now protected under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Online videos appear to show masked individual speaking about fatal stabbing The arrest comes as videos circulating online show a masked individual speaking publicly about the incident in an interview. Police confirm to CTV News Toronto that they are 'aware of the videos circulating online,' but have not confirmed the identity of the person seen in them. Former Toronto homicide detective weighs in on arrest In an interview with CP24, former Toronto police homicide detective Mark Mendelson, shared his insights on the news of today's arrest. Mendelson said investigators took the 'fairly rare' step of seeking a provincial court order to release the teen's identity and photograph, which he noted was from Toronto police - meaning that they'd had some sort of previous interaction with him. He also pointed to the fact that the accused had allegedly taken to social media to post some of his 'thoughts and excuses' online, which Mendelson said could have had a 'component in locating him.' He also noted that police had said that the teen was known to frequent the TTC. Mendelson also pointed to the work of cyber crime investigators, whom he said also likely played an important role in finding the suspect and building the case against him. 'But we do know that it was (a) fairly quick (arrest), but it might be a combination of all of those investigative avenues that they followed. And here we are, and now he's been charged,' he said. 'I would certainly love to see the face of his defence lawyer when he sees these videos, if, in fact, it is the suspect's videos.' Mark Mendelson Former Toronto homicide detective Mark mendelson speaks with CP24 on July 20. Proving that is it the accused in those clips will be one of the first orders of business, Mendelson said, pointing to some aspects in them that he believes will be 'very troubling for the defence.' 'One is he admits to being there. He also admits to having an interaction with this elderly woman. He actually gives a bit of a motive in terms of why the interaction took place. And he also admits to the stabbing,' Mendleson said. 'So this is very damning information, if this matter does in fact go to trial.' It should be noted that the suspect's face is covered in the clips. 'You know, the Crown will make their best efforts to prove that it is, in fact him, and the defence will raise the doubt that it isn't him. I mean, we just don't know all of what is available now,' Mendelson said. 'I mean, you can be sure they're seizing his electronic equipment and they'll be able to trace that back and see if those postings came from maybe his cell phone or another electronic device. So there's all kinds of ways that they can confirm or corroborate that it is, in fact him.' Mendelson said he expects that the accused will have a brief court appearance on Monday and will be remanded into custody. He added that at this point in the investigation the accused has been charged with second-degree murder, a charge he said could be upgraded once the case goes through the court system and other evidence is obtained and presented. 'And we don't know what this young man has said to the police since his arrest,' he said. 'So there's all kinds of things that will be taking place where they may. There may be a reassessment moving into first degree murder, which of course is planning and deliberation.' Investigation is ongoing Toronto police continue to investigate this case and are asking anyone with additional information to contact them at 416-808-3300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
