Toronto police have charged a 13-year-old boy after he allegedly pointed a replica toy gun and demanded money from students at an Etobicoke middle school.
The incident happened at Lanor Junior School, located in the area of Brown’s Line and Evans Avenue, on Tuesday afternoon.
Police said an unknown number of students were in the bathroom when one of them pointed “what appeared to be a gun” and demanded money.
Officers arrived and found a replica toy gun. No injuries were reported.
On Wednesday, police said a 13-year-old boy was facing two counts of armed robbery.
He cannot be identified under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police said the boy is due in court next month.
Earlier on Wednesday, the school’s principal provided more details about the incident in a letter to parents and guardians.
Robert Nigro said a student brought a replica toy gun and showed it to other students in the boys’ restroom. One of the students, he said, reported it near the time of the dismissal.
“This allegation was taken very seriously. As soon as I received this information, my priority was the safety of students and staff. All students were in class and the hallways were clear,” Nigro wrote.
He added that he confiscated the item and confirmed that it was a toy.
“This was done in a matter of minutes, before the dismissal bell at the end of the day,” Nigro wrote.
He said there was no threat to the safety of the school community as the toy gun was immediately seized. The school is not on lockdown.
“My priority then shifted to focusing on the affected students, ensuring they were supported and informing the parents of all students involved in the incident,” he wrote.
No further information about the incident will be released as it is under police investigation, but Nigro said, “Please be assured that we are taking every step, in accordance with our policies and procedures, to ensure that our school remains a safe learning environment. and work environment for students and staff.”
The incident comes less than a week after a gun was fired in an East York school bathroom during an altercation involving six people.
Police said a school assistant who intervened was injured when the bullet ricocheted off the wall.
Speaking to CP24 Breakfast, Mayor John Tory said the city, Toronto District School Board and Toronto Police are working together to address school violence.
“It’s very disappointing to me … what circumstances would lead a young person to even bring a replica gun to school because, you know, if you think about how badly that could have ended,” Torrey said.
“We’re trying to make a team effort on this to make sure we’re doing everything we can to stop these incidents.”
In an unrelated announcement, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Leche was asked about the recent incidents and said the provincial government has increased mental health support and hired more staff to ensure schools remain safe environments for all.
“(We) continue to provide after-school programs for children, especially vulnerable children in our communities. We continue to have staff at our school who are trained in de-escalation and intervention,” Leche said.
“We do all this because we are committed to the safety of children. And we work with school boards and law enforcement partners to make sure that when these kids are in our schools, they stay safe. “
Stephen Mensah, executive director of the Toronto Youth Cabinet, described the recent incidents as disheartening but not shocking. He said investment in programs that improve the lives of the city’s youth continues to be lacking.
Mensah also noted that Toronto has one of the worst youth unemployment rates.
“Conditions for young people keep getting worse and worse. The city and all levels of government need to really redouble their efforts to improve conditions for young people,” he said.
Mensah added that many youths feel discouraged that they are not being prioritized.
“I’ve called for the city to match the same funding that we’re going to give to the police to find prevention efforts that we need to put into young people,” said Mensah, who made a representation at this week’s budget committee meeting.
He noted that the indicative budget does not meet the needs of families. Mensah said there should be more youth clubs with extended hours and a summer youth employment program.
“Young people are fed up and really hoping to see some meaningful investment in improving their conditions,” Mensah said.
“We need more support for mental health and programs in general to keep young people focused and busy – but busy in a productive way.”
– with files from Beatrice Weissmann
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