12-year-old boy dies in hospital after weekend shooting in North York

Toronto police say a 12-year-old boy has died in hospital after he was shot while shopping with his mother in North York over the weekend.

Just before 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, police said more than 30 rounds were fired at a moving vehicle in the area of Jane Street and Stong Court near Finch Avenue West.

Two men and a 17-year-old boy from that vehicle were injured. They have since been released from hospital.

The 12-year-old was walking in the area at the time when he was shot.

“What an absolute tragedy this whole occurrence is, what it’s done to the community,” Ron Taverner, superintendent of 23 Division, where the shooting took place said Thursday. “We feel so bad for the family of the young 12-year-old victim.”

Det.-Sgt. Keri Fernandes said the young boy died on Wednesday afternoon. She said his family has requested privacy and that his name is not being released.

The two suspects arrested — 24-year-old Rashawn Chambers from Toronto and 25-year-old Jahwayne Smart of no fixed address – are now facing 30 charges, including one count of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Fernandes said police are currently looking for one additional suspect, believed to be the driver involved in the shooting. That person would also be facing a charge of first-degree murder.

“This investigation has shown us that the two accused had planned to carry out murder. The fact that the 12-year-old victim was not the intended target is not a piece of that,” Fernandes said. “He was hit as these men were attempting to carry out their plan to murder someone.”

She also said police believe the shooting was gang-related, but they can’t confirm at this time.

Chief James Ramer also said that police were investigating other allegations against the two suspects.

“We believe these two alleged shooters may have been involved in a separate shooting incident last week – which also endangered the lives of many innocent people and that remains an active investigation,” he said.

Taverner said the force will continue to have a “high presence” of uniformed officers in the community in the city’s north end.

“The gun violence in this community is higher than anywhere else in the city,” he said.

As of Nov. 8, Toronto police had recorded 425 shootings in the city in 2020.

At that time, they said, 37 people had died and 164 others were injured.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report