One teenager has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, and four others to various forms of assault, in the beating and stabbing death of 17-year old Omar Wellington.
The victim died more than three years ago in Flemingdon Park. Police believe more than a dozen bystanders may have witnessed his murder, which took place in broad daylight following a botched gun sale.
Wellington was forced to strip to his underwear before being beaten for hours. He was then stabbed 31 times and left for dead.
All five perpetrators are to be sentenced on Thursday. They face a range of punishment depending on the charge, from six years in jail plus four years of community service, to time served plus probation.
All were believed to be members of a gang known as The Little Rascals, and were between 13 and 16 years old at the time of Wellington's murder. None of them can be named under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
A sixth teenager, who is accused of first-degree murder, will be prosecuted separately.
Outside the courthouse, Omar's mother Joy said her son's death traumatized her family.
"We are afraid to go outside," she said, adding that her surviving children fear they may be murdered next.
"They don't have regular summer days like riding their bikes in the park or going out to the mall or to the movies because they're afraid to be out in the general public," she said.
All five youths convicted in connection with Wellington's death were originally charged with first-degree murder. But the Crown said there wasn't enough forensic evidence to make that charge stick against four of the defendants.
A rain storm washed away much of the evidence at the crime scene, and witnesses were unwilling to testify in court. Police believe they feared retaliation from the accused.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Chris Eby
