'She is loved': Neighbours create memorial for 14-year-old Mississauga, Ont. girl fatally shot

Neighbours of a Malton residential building where a 14-year-old girl was fatally wounded Tuesday night are coming together to support her family and community.

In the lobby, a memorial has grown with candles, flowers and heartfelt and positive messages for Taffash Riley and her family.

“We did it all as a family, put it together so that when the family does come downstairs, if they did, that they would see she is loved,” resident Sarah McDermott told CTV News Toronto on Friday.

McDermott didn’t know Riley, but is a mother, and said when she learned the teen had been shot and died, she went to over to Riley’s mother.

“I was walking in hallway and when I saw her, just sat with her, and tried to console her the best I could,” she said.

McDermott then started an online fundraising campaign — raising more than $20,000.

“My heart hurts. My heart aches for them,” McDermott said. “The son had mentioned they wanted to bring Taffash back home, in Jamaica and I know that’s really expensive.”

The gun was fired Tuesday night around 9 p.m. in the stairwell of the building. Peel Regional Police’s homicide bureau is investigating, but officers but the exact circumstances of what happened are unclear. 

Taffash Riley is shown in this photo.

With no recent updates as of Friday afternoon and no known arrests there are concerns about safety.

“I hope they are caught, I hope the questions everyone has are answered. It’s still nerve-wracking knowing they are out there,” said McDermott.

“This is an immense tragedy for the entire Mississauga community and frankly, I am outraged that someone would take the life of a 14-year-old,” said Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie in a statement to CTV News Toronto Friday.

“I know Peel police are working around the clock to investigate, as we need to bring her family and the entire Malton community justice as soon as possible. Peel Police have also continued to make it a top priority to get more guns off our streets so that no family has to face this kind of tragedy.”

Flags have been lowered at Riley’s school and the Malton Community Centre just down the road from her home.

“The community has really shown their love and their support. I just want to keep the go fund me going. I just want to bring awareness to the crime in the neighbourhood,” said McDermott.