Latest news with #Toronto-area
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Boy, 14, charged with first-degree murder after random 'sadistic' stabbing of elderly Ontario woman: police
A teenage boy has been charged with first-degree murder after a woman was fatally stabbed in Pickering, Ont. Police received a call to a residential area of the Southern Ontario city around 3 p.m. on Thursday, Durham Regional Police said in a news release. A passerby had noticed an elderly woman lying on the ground outside of a home near Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road. The victim was brought to a Toronto-area trauma centre where she was pronounced dead. On Friday, the 14-year-old suspect appeared in court via video from the Durham Regional Police Division 17 for a hearing in Oshawa, CBC News reported. He said he understood the charges against him and confirmed he had the chance to speak with a lawyer. In an update to media on Friday morning, acting staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe said police are investigating reports of the suspect allegedly looking at homes in the area weeks before the incident. Although the attack appeared to be random, she said the victim and the suspect had a brief conversation before the woman was stabbed. A neighbour told CBC she saw the suspect walk toward the woman's house, but couldn't see the stabbing from where she was sitting in her bedroom. 'It seems like a lot of people have seen him walking around that day, around that time, just because he stood out quite a bit,' said Pickering resident Gabriela Fredericks. After watching video footage of the area, police said the woman was outside of her house when a suspect approached her. There was a brief encounter and then the woman was attacked. She was stabbed 'multiple times,' police said. A shelter in place was in effect while police conducted a search, and the Ontario Provincial Police issued an Alert Ready notice. The search team included officers from multiple units, including Air1, Drone, K9 and Tactical Support, according to Durham Regional Police. The suspect was discovered by police at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and taken into custody without incident. A press conference was held after the arrest on Thursday. Durham Regional Police Service Chief Peter Moreira told media that authorities would not be revealing details about the arrest, CP24 reported. He said the investigation was 'in its infancy' and those details 'may form part of the evidence.' He said the investigation would also uncover if the victim and suspect knew each other in any way. Moreira said the victim was stabbed 'in a sadistic and cowardly unprovoked attack that was captured on video.' Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe posted on X on Thursday, giving his 'thoughts, prayers, and sympathies' to the victim and her family. Ashe also thanked the Durham police 'for their efforts in bringing this to a quick resolution.' He later confirmed the woman was in her 80s. The woman, whose identity has not been made public by police, was a retired teacher, according to neighbour Laurie Deoliveira. 'We live in a safe community. It's not a normal thing to happen,' she said. Deoliveira, along with others from the community, have laid flowers at the woman's home. Brian Fredericks, who lives across the street from the victim, called her a 'lovely lady' whom he had known for 32 years. A candlelight vigil was set for Friday evening, although its organizer John Meloche later cancelled the event. He said in a Facebook post that it was due to the family's wishes to have privacy 'during this incredibly difficult time.' The 14-year-old will not be named, as the Youth Criminal Justice Act in Ontario prohibits the identification of minors in such cases. He is due back in court on June 20, CBC reported. With additional reporting by The Canadian Press. Quebec man accused in huge cocaine, fentanyl and meth smuggling case appears in U.S. court Toronto plane crash report includes new video and details about what went wrong with Delta aircraft Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Vancouver Sun
Boy, 14, charged with first-degree murder after random 'sadistic' stabbing of elderly Ontario woman: police
A teenage boy has been charged with first-degree murder after a woman was fatally stabbed in Pickering, Ont. Police received a call to a residential area of the Southern Ontario city around 3 p.m. on Thursday, Durham Regional Police said in a news release . A passerby had noticed an elderly woman lying on the ground outside of a home near Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road. The victim was brought to a Toronto-area trauma centre where she was pronounced dead. UPDATE 1: 14-Year-Old Male Charged with First Degree Murder A 14-year-old male has been charged with first degree murder after a female was killed in Pickering in Durham Region's second homicide of 2025. The suspect was initially reported to be 13 years of age; however, he is… On Friday, the 14-year-old suspect appeared in court via video from the Durham Regional Police Division 17 for a hearing in Oshawa, CBC News reported . He said he understood the charges against him and confirmed he had the chance to speak with a lawyer. In an update to media on Friday morning, acting staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe said police are investigating reports of the suspect allegedly looking at homes in the area weeks before the incident. Although the attack appeared to be random, she said the victim and the suspect had a brief conversation before the woman was stabbed. A neighbour told CBC she saw the suspect walk toward the woman's house, but couldn't see the stabbing from where she was sitting in her bedroom. 'It seems like a lot of people have seen him walking around that day, around that time, just because he stood out quite a bit,' said Pickering resident Gabriela Fredericks. After watching video footage of the area, police said the woman was outside of her house when a suspect approached her. There was a brief encounter and then the woman was attacked. She was stabbed 'multiple times,' police said. A shelter in place was in effect while police conducted a search, and the Ontario Provincial Police issued an Alert Ready notice. The search team included officers from multiple units, including Air1, Drone, K9 and Tactical Support, according to Durham Regional Police. The suspect was discovered by police at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and taken into custody without incident. A press conference was held after the arrest on Thursday. Durham Regional Police Service Chief Peter Moreira told media that authorities would not be revealing details about the arrest, CP24 reported . He said the investigation was 'in its infancy' and those details 'may form part of the evidence.' He said the investigation would also uncover if the victim and suspect knew each other in any way. Moreira said the victim was stabbed 'in a sadistic and cowardly unprovoked attack that was captured on video.' Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe posted on X on Thursday, giving his 'thoughts, prayers, and sympathies' to the victim and her family. My thoughts, prayers, and sympathies go out to the victim and her family. Thank you to @DRPS for their efforts in bringing this to a quick resolution. Ashe also thanked the Durham police 'for their efforts in bringing this to a quick resolution.' He later confirmed the woman was in her 80s. The woman, whose identity has not been made public by police, was a retired teacher, according to neighbour Laurie Deoliveira. 'We live in a safe community. It's not a normal thing to happen,' she said. Deoliveira, along with others from the community, have laid flowers at the woman's home. Brian Fredericks, who lives across the street from the victim, called her a 'lovely lady' whom he had known for 32 years. A candlelight vigil was set for Friday evening, although its organizer John Meloche later cancelled the event. He said in a Facebook post that it was due to the family's wishes to have privacy 'during this incredibly difficult time.' The 14-year-old will not be named, as the Youth Criminal Justice Act in Ontario prohibits the identification of minors in such cases. He is due back in court on June 20, CBC reported. With additional reporting by The Canadian Press. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Why did I get an emergency alert for a homicide in Pickering? Teen boy charged with 1st-degree murder following ‘sadistic and cowardly' attack
Thousands of Ontario residents received a shelter-in-place alert during the Thursday afternoon commute. The alert indicated police were investigating a homicide suspect at 2125 Lynn Heights Dr., but it failed to mention the community name of Pickering. The alert appeared to create confusion on social media and included the r/askTO subreddit on . People receive this alert on Toronto-area cellphones as police hunt for a suspect in Thursday's stabbing death. Commenters reported receiving the alert in downtown Toronto and Newmarket. Others who said they received it, live more than 100-kilometres away from the impacted area, in places like Haliburton and Barrie. Alert Ready is the public-facing brand name for the National Public Alerting System administered by Public Safety Canada. Canada's emergency alerting system is intended to deliver critical alerts to Canadians through television, radio and LTE-connected and compatible wireless devices. The May 29 Pickering alert was sent by the Ontario Provincial Police on behalf of Durham Regional Police. In an email to Metroland, Durham police spokesperson Joanne McCabe said the local police service provided a suggested area to shelter in place in its alert request to the OPP. 'The area the alert extends to and what information is released, is at the discretion of the OPP,' McCabe added. 'My understanding is the reach for the alert went further than the requested area as the armed suspect was mobile and there was an imminent threat to public safety.' Metroland has also reached out to the OPP and will update this piece when we receive a reply. A shelter in place can be issued for major police events. The Government of Canada website advises people to follow the directions and advice of law enforcement and first responders. Here's what you should do if you receive a notice: In a May 30 update, Durham police said a 14-year-old boy was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after an older adult woman was stabbed to death in the Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road area of Pickering Thursday afternoon. The suspect was initially thought to be 13, according to a previous news release. On May 29 at 3:05 p.m., police responded to the area for an unknown trouble call. After a brief encounter, the suspect 'assaulted the victim in an unprovoked attack (by) stabbing her multiple times,' police said. The woman was outside her home on Lynn Heights Drive near Fairport Road around 3 p.m., when police say the suspect approached her. A passerby found a woman on the ground outside a residence suffering from traumatic injuries. She was transported to a Toronto-area trauma centre and pronounced dead. In a media briefing Thursday evening, Durham police Chief Peter Moreira called the suspect 'sadistic and cowardly' in the unprovoked attack, which was captured on video. 'I worked in homicide for a long time and I can tell you that an unprovoked attack like this is just unimaginable,' Moreira added. The woman was doing what 'everyone else would do at the front of their home,' according to Moreira and added she does not hold any responsibility for the attack. Following the stabbing, police said the suspect fled eastbound on Lynn Heights Drive, which prompted a massive search that included a rare shelter-in-place alert issued across the Greater Toronto Area in a bid to minimize any risk to public safety. Police said the suspect was arrested without incident Thursday evening at 8:30 p.m. The stabbing death is Durham Region's second homicide of 2025, said police. The woman's name is being withheld at the request of the family. — With files from Kristen Calis, Toronto Star Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Boy, 14, charged with murder in attack on senior in Pickering, Ont., police say
PICKERING - A 14-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder after an elderly woman was fatally stabbed outside her home in Pickering, Ont., police said Friday. Durham Regional Police said the attack happened in the area of Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road around 3 p.m. Thursday, and a passerby found the woman on the ground. The woman was taken to a Toronto-area trauma centre where she was pronounced dead, police said. Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe confirmed the woman was in her 80s. Her name has not been released. Police announced the arrest Thursday night, hours after an emergency alert was issued warning nearby residents not to leave their homes while the search for the suspect was underway. The 14-year-old suspect, who police had initially said was 13, was arrested 'without incident' around 8:30 p.m., officials said. He faces a charge of first-degree murder. Police have called the incident a 'sadistic and cowardly unprovoked attack.' Sgt. Joanne McCabe said at a press conference Friday morning that there was a 'brief conversation' between the suspect and victim before the stabbing. 'At this point, we can't find any connection between the two of them,' McCabe said. She added police are investigating reports from community members that the suspect was allegedly spotted in the neighbourhood in the days before the attack. 'We're looking into the reports that people are saying that he was in the area,' McCabe added, noting that anyone with information is asked to contact investigators. Brian Fredericks, who lives across the street from the victim, called her a 'lovely lady' who took care of her husband with mobility issues. 'Totally heartbroken, couldn't understand why would someone do that ... very sad,' he said. Ashe said in a phone interview Friday that the incident has shaken the community, and the city has to come together and heal. 'When one of our community is suffering or grieving, the whole community does,' the mayor said. A vigil organized by community members is set to take place in the victim's neighbourhood Friday night. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
Durham police looking for suspect after ‘sadistic and cowardly' stabbing that killed a senior woman in Pickering
Durham police have told residents to stay inside after a senior woman was killed in a Pickering stabbing Thursday afternoon. Follow along here for live updates. What we know so far Durham police are searching for a man after an elderly woman was stabbed to death outside a house in Pickering around 3 p.m. today. Suspect is described as a man wearing a long black skinny jacket and a surgical mask, carrying a black bag. The 'unprovoked and cowardly' stabbing attack was caught on video, police chief Peter Moreira said. An emergency alert went out to Toronto-area cell phones and televisions Thursday evening, advising people to shelter in place.
