New video appears to show TTC employee shoving teen prior to 'swarming' attack

New video footage obtained by CP24 appears to show the events leading up to what the TTC has described as a ‘despicable swarming’ attack on two of its employees in Scarborough.

The incident began on a stopped bus near Kennedy and Merrian roads on Monday at around 3:35 p.m.

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Four 13-year-old boys have since been charged in connection with the incident.

This still image taken from video footage appears to shown the moments leading up to the alleged assault of a TTC employee in Scarborough on Monday.

Two of them are facing one count of assault, while the other two are facing two counts of assault.

So far few details have been released about exactly what transpired, though police have said that “there was an altercation between a group of boys on board” and that two TTC employees were subsequently assaulted.

The footage obtained by CP24 shows the same Merrian Road bus shelter where the incident took place.

It appears to show a uniformed TTC employee stepping off the bus and onto a sidewalk before exchanging words with a teen.

The employee then appears to shove the teen, at which point the teen begins throwing punches in return.

At least two other teens are also seen pushing and shoving.

The footage later shows a second TTC employee running into the shot and towards the melee.

They appear to be attempting to break up the fight when the video cuts out.

The TTC has previously said that the two employees were on duty and on their way to a relief point to pick up their vehicle and go about their shift when the attack happened.

They did not require hospitalization but TTC spokesperson Stuart Green has said that they were “shaken up” after the incident.

He has also said that the driver of the bus was “emotionally impacted.”

“At this point we are working with to police to pull video and get them any evidence we can as they investigate this despicable act. It is absolutely inexcusable,” Green said earlier this week.

It is important to note that the 11-second video does not show what may or may not have transpired on board the bus prior to the attack.

It also cuts off just a few seconds after the first punches are thrown.

CTV News Toronto did previously obtain surveillance footage from a nearby business, which appeared to show an altercation continuing on the road in front of the bus.

That footage shows at least at least a dozen people pushing and shoving in front of the stopped bus and features a number of similarities with the video obtained by CP24.

The “swarming” incident is just one of several recent instances of violence against TTC employees.

A 24-year-old TTC operator in Scarborough was shot with a BB gun over the weekend and later told CTV News Toronto that she feels as though she was “shot for being a TTC employee.”

Meanwhile, on Wednesday two TTC workers were chased through a downtown subway station by a suspect wielding a syringe.

The incidents have prompted the union representing TTC workers to write an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau to request federal support with addressing the “public transit safety crisis in Toronto.”