Two 13-year-old girls have been charged with ‘Assault with a Weapon’ after another 13-year-old girl was stabbed numerous times in a Vaughan plaza parking lot. York police are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has video footage of it to come forward.
On Saturday, September 16 around 8 p.m., police received a call for a large gathering of youths causing a disturbance at a fast food restaurant on Rutherford Road east of Highway 400. A few minutes later, a fight ensued in the parking lot and a youth was stabbed. Responding officers found a 13-year-old girl suffering from multiple injuries. Officers also located two 13-year-old female suspects and took them into custody. A knife was recovered at the scene.
The victim was transported to hospital in non-life-threatening condition.
Two 13-year-old girls, one from Richmond Hill and one from Vaughan, have each been charged with Assault with a Weapon. They cannot be identified due to the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The youth from Richmond Hill was held for a bail hearing. The youth from Vaughan was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Youth Justice Court in the Town of Newmarket on October 19, police said in a news release
The area of the incident has many shops and restaurants and is well-traveled by pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Police believe there were numerous witnesses present at the time who may be able to assist with the investigation.
Investigators are aware of several videos posted on social media regarding this incident. Anyone with information about these videos is urged to contact investigators.
Any witnesses who have not yet spoken with investigators, or any person with a video recording from the area around the time of the incident, such as from a vehicle dashcam, a cell phone or a security system, is asked to contact police as soon as possible.
Information can be provided by calling the York Regional Police #4 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, extension 7441. Anyone wanting to provide information anonymously can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or provide a tip online at www.1800222tips.com.
