'Terrible tragedy': Politicians speak out following fatal stabbing of teen at Toronto subway station
Politicians and advocacy groups are speaking out following the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old boy at Keele Station on Saturday.
The teenager, identified as Gabriel Magalhaes, was sitting on a bench in the lower level of the subway station when he was allegedly approached and stabbed multiple times in what police have described as an “unprovoked” attack.
Magalhaes suffered life-threatening injuries and later died in hospital. A suspect, identified as 22-year-old Jordan O’Brien-Tobin, was arrested that night and charged with first-degree murder.
In a letter to students and parents on Monday, Etobicoke Collegiate Institute principal Jennifer Kurtz said Gabriel was a kind student who enjoyed school and his death is a "tragic loss."
Violent incidents on the TTC have increased by over 60 per cent since 2019, according to data released by the transit commission in February. Saturday’s stabbing is the latest in a string of high-profile incidents on Toronto’s public transit system, which in January prompted the addition of 80 Toronto police officers to various TTC locations.
In a Monday morning tweet, Premier Doug Ford shared condolences for the Magalhaes family, calling the incident a “senseless and unprovoked murder that cannot be tolerated.”
Toronto deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie told CP24 she is "committed to supporting the work" of the TTC and Toronto police as safety initiatives, including more special constables, continue to roll out.
"I have two young children," she continued. "My heart absolutely breaks for this mother...we know we can do better."
"The randomness is really what scares people; it scares me," said city councillor Jon Burnside. He later called on the federal government for support, pointing out that the increased violence on the TTC is an issue that spans across municipal, provincial and federal purview.
“It’s just a terrible, terrible tragedy,” city councillor Paula Fletcher (Toronto-Danforth) told CP24.
“There’s been a number of wake-up calls for the TTC, and I don’t think they’ve had a wake-up yet,” she continued. “[People] should feel unnerved riding the TTC….people are afraid.”
Fletcher noted that one of the TTC’s most concerning deficiencies is in preventative operations, or staffing and maintenance practices which can deter crime before it happens, rather than punishing it after the fact.
“This is a tragedy by any definition,” Stuart Green, senior communications specialist for the TTC, told CP24 on Monday morning.
“We’ve seen a general downward trend in the number of serious incidents, and we move hundreds of millions of people a year without incident, but we absolutely understand that on days like today, people are feeling a little nervous, a little on-edge. We get that.”
Green reiterated the transit agency’s commitment to lessening violence through measures like increased policing.
“We’re making our best effort, and we take this extremely seriously,” he said.
Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 113, which represents TTC operators and maintenance workers, shared a press release Monday morning, expressing dismay at the increased violence on Toronto’s transit system.
“Any loss of life on public transit has a lasting impact on families and communities of those directly involved, as well as on transit riders and transit workers,” said the statement.
“With the upcoming election, Toronto needs a mayor who understands allocating funds to public transit is not a cost, it is an investment – an investment in transit safety, maintaining dependable service, and state of good repair.”
There have been at least four homicides on or directly outside TTC property over the last year.
In December two women were stabbed by a stranger at High Park Station, one of whom later died of her injuries.
Another woman was set on fire on a TTC bus outside Kipling Station in June, later dying of her injuries. Police said at the time that there was no known relationship between the woman and her attacker.
In a message posted to Twitter on Monday, former police chief and current mayoral candidate Mark Saunders said that he is concerned thatToronto “is starting to normalize crime and disorder.”
“This isn’t about just adding more police,” said Saunders’ statement. “Yes, police absolutely play a critical role; but if we don’t start to really get at the root of the crime; it’s going to continue to be Band-Aid solutions.”
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.