3rd teen charged with murder in Danzig shooting

Toronto police have arrested and charged a 17-year-old boy with two counts of second-degree murder in the Danzig shooting in July that killed two innocent bystanders and wounded 23 others.

The teen — who can’t be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act — has also been charged with attempted murder, reckless discharge of a firearm and 22 counts of aggravated assault. He was scheduled to appear in an Eglinton Avenue court Friday morning.

Shyanne Charles, 14, of Scarborough, and Joshua Yasay, 23, of Ajax, died in the July 16 gun battle in Scarborough, which police believe started when members of the Galloway Boys gang “took ownership” of an outdoor neighbourhood barbecue on Danzig Street and stopped a Malvern Crew gang member from getting in.

“It’s actually alarming that we’d have a 17-year-old youth charged in such a callous act of violence,” Staff-Insp. Greg McLane of the homicide squad said Friday.

McLane said this youth is a member of the Malvern Crew. He was injured during the Danzig shooting and shot again while on his bike on Chester Le Boulevard in September.

On Thursday, alleged Galloway Boys member Nahom “Gifted” Tsegazab, 19, was the second suspect to be charged. He faces two counts of second-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and 22 counts of aggravated assault in the Danzig shooting. That’s on top of a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm filed against him days after the shooting.

Tsegazab was injured in the Danzig shooting and was hospitalized for a “number of days,”McLane said on Thursday.

“The fact that he was injured means he was absolutely there.”

Earlier this month, police charged Malvern Crew member Shaquan “Bam Bam” Mesquito, 18, with two counts of first-degree murder and 25 other charges.

Police are also investigating two other young men, whose composite sketches were released on Nov. 8. One of them has been identified while the other one they’ve learned goes by the street name “Juvi.”