Expect an increased police presence in parks after latest attack
Cell phone video circulating on social media shows a man bleeding on the ground following a brutal assault in Couchiching Beach Park in Orillia, Ont., on Mon., May 26, 2025.
Two weeks ago, a violent assault at Couchiching Beach Park in Orillia sparked questions about public safety.
On Thursday, the region's Ontario Provincial Police board met to find some solutions to those concerns.
A violent assault of a young man, now known to be Jordan Duffy, 23, by a group at Couchiching Beach Park set off the maelstrom of outrage in the media and social media.
Duffy suffered serious injuries after he attempted to break up an earlier argument between several teenage girls.
He was severely beaten and hit in the head with a glass container.
The city recognized Duffy and another man, Chris Landra – who had stepped in to help Duffy – for their bravery on that day with an Orillia certificate of bravery.
'I was always raised like, if something unfair is happening, step in, right? I saw the three girls picking on the one girl, I knew the one girl, to me it was very unfair,' Duffy said.
Orillia city councillors want to ensure it never happens again.
'I think we really have to work hard to make our community and our parks safe for our children and our grandchildren,' said Counc. Ralph Cipolla.
Counc. Cipolla is the chairperson of the Couchiching OPP detachment board that had gathered to discuss how to make Orillia's public spaces safe.
Police are looking to increase their foot, bike and cruiser patrols through parks in Orillia, Ramara, Oro-Medonte and Severn townships.
'The incidents are increasing in our parks because some of the youths don't have anywhere else to go,' Cipolla said.
The board also discussed the possibility of implementing 24/7 video surveillance cameras as another measure should budgets allow.
But increasing police visibility is a step Orillia has already taken.
'Certainly, we've increased the OPP foot patrols in the park and the downtown as a result, the county has also added resources,' said Mayor Don McIsaac.
Couchiching Beach Park in Orillia
Couchiching Beach Park in Orillia, Ont., on Wed., May 28, 2025.
(CTV News/Rob Cooper)
McIsaac says the city is looking into other measures - such as issuing trespassing orders against the individuals involved.
Yet McIsaac says the court process must play out for several suspects who now facing criminal charges.
'It's regrettable, it's unfortunate, it should never happen,' McIsaac said of the attack.
Cipolla said the board meeting was a step in the right direction.
'It's a start for us to be more careful, more involved and get the police more involved in our public spaces,' Cipolla said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Home owned by family of UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health embezzler up for sale
The Law Courts building, which is home to B.C. Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, is seen in Vancouver, on Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck NORTH VANCOUVER — A real estate listing for a $2 million property in North Vancouver says the home has been excellently maintained and is on an attractive street, but what the description doesn't say is it's a forced sale involving an embezzler and a years-long legal battle. The B.C. government gazette says the sale was ordered when the B.C. Supreme Court sided with the University of British Columbia in a lawsuit filed against the estate of Wanda Moscipan, who worked as an administrator for both the university and the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority between 1997 and 2011. A court ruling last year says Moscipan used her 'substantial administrative autonomy' in her dual role to engage in 'various fraudulent actions,' including forging signatures, stealing from a dormant bank account and paying herself an inflated salary. The court ruling says the woman died in 2012, the year both the university and the health authority filed lawsuits to recover the stolen funds. The gazette listing says a court bailiff was to list the property for sale on Thursday for the recovery of more than $1.5 million against her estate, administered by her husband. The conditions of the property sale say the proceeds will go to pay any outstanding taxes, sheriff's fees, Realtor commissions, with the remainder paid out by the court to the university and the health authority. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Man arrested after hitting cyclist and stealing Montreal police car
A man was arrested after stealing a police car from a collision scene in Montreal's Plateau Mont-Royal borough Friday afternoon. (SOURCE: Loren Cantor) A man was arrested after stealing a police car from a collision scene in Montreal's Plateau Mont-Royal borough Friday afternoon. Police were called around 4:50 p.m. about a collision between a vehicle and a cyclist at the intersection of du Parc-La Fontaine Avenue and Roy Street. A passerby managed to steal a cruiser as officers intervened and fled driving northbound, hitting several vehicles in his path. A 28-year-old woman who was hit in her car suffered minor injuries to the face and was transported to hospital. The stolen police car was later intercepted at the intersection of Papineau Avenue and Gilford Street after a police chase. In total, two civilian vehicles and five police cars were damaged. The driver, a 32-year-old man, was arrested for driving under the influence and was taken to a detention centre. Police say he is expected to face several other charges. The cyclist was injured but his life is not in danger. Two crime scenes have been set up both on du Parc-La Fontaine Avenue and on Gilford Street. Editor's note: The SPVM previously stated that the man arrested was the driver of the vehicle that struck the cyclist. He is in fact a bystander who is not connected to the collision.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
‘It was terrifying': B.C. hiker describes encounter with cougar on popular trail near Whistler
A popular hiking trail between Squamish and Whistler will be closed this weekend because of aggressive cougar behaviour. Margaux Cohen is an outdoor content creator from Whistler, B.C., who feels at home in the forest. 'This is all I do, to be honest. When I'm not working, I'm in the mountains,' she said. On Sunday, June 8, Cohen and her hiking partner Max Stobbe were heading down Rubble Creek Trail after a hike to Garibaldi Lake, between Squamish and Whistler, when they rounded a corner and came face-to-face with a cougar. 'The cougar was right in front of me,' said Cohen. 'I'm not even exaggerating when I'm saying this, but it was like two or three feet away from me – so I instantly screamed.' The pair backed away and made noise to try to scare the cougar off, but it crouched just off the trail and didn't move for 45 minutes. 'I would not take the risk to pass him. You don't turn your back on a cougar,' she said. ' I was really surprised that the cougar wasn't moving.' Unable to scare the animal away, and with only one route back to the trailhead, Cohen and Stobbe decided to wait at a safe distance with bear spray in hand. 'It was terrifying. My heart was racing,' said Cohen. 'My friends and I, we hike places where you will not see anybody for the entire day. So you would never think there would be cougars on that trail that has hundreds of people every day in summertime.' Eventually, a large group of hikers coming the other way made enough noise to scare the cougar off. But the next day, hikers reported being stalked by two cougars on the same trail. Conservation officers were forced to evacuate several nearby campgrounds and close the trail for a week. 'I think that's a great call – give the cougars some time to move along without any further confrontation possible with people on the trails,' said Siobhan Darlington, project lead with the Southern B.C. Cougar Project. She believes the cougar that crouched beside the trail for 45 minutes was simply curious to see humans, but two cougars stalking people is very unusual. 'This could be potentially either a mother and a sub-adult, or two sub-adults together. That's usually the case where you would see two animals alongside one another,' Darlington said. Her advice for anyone who encounters cougars in the woods? Make noise and make yourself big. 'Stand your ground. If you see a cougar, don't turn your back to it. Remain calm and put your arms above your head, put a backpack or something above you to make yourself look big,' said Darlington, who also recommends throwing things at the big cat to scare it off. While close encounters are scary, she said cougars don't see people as prey, and attacks are exceedingly rare. 'If that ever does happen, it's usually an animal that is sick or injured or something – that's not a healthy cougar doing normal cougar things,' Darlington said. Darlington hopes by the time the the trail is reopened on Tuesday, June 17, the cougars will have moved on. 'They have very large home ranges,' she said. 'They typically won't stay in one area for very long, not more than a couple of days before they move off.' Cohen is an avid hiker who frequently sees black bears, but has never caught a glimpse of a cougar. Stobbe managed to shoot 15 seconds of the big cat on his phone, which he posted to TikTok. While the encounter was frightening, it was a hike the pair will never forget. 'They always see you, but you never see them most of the time,' Cohen said. 'So the fact that I got to see one this close and nothing happened to me is great.'
