A Toronto teen is recovering from stab wounds today while two others, both also 16, are facing assault charges following a rowdy party at Ashbridge's Bay Park that once again involved young people shooting fireworks directly at each other.
Police estimate that thousands of people were in the area at the time of the stabbing, for which a 24-year-old St. Catharines man was also charged with attempted murder.
It is not clear if the party was organized, but police did say that a "very large crowd" was observed on the nearby Woodbine Beach — much larger than the 10 people currently allowed to gather under Step 1 of the provincial government's reopening plan, which Toronto entered on Friday.
.@TorontoPolice say upwards of 10,000 people were in attendance at a large gathering at Woodbine beach last night #Toronto https://t.co/k373IeAzJP
— Andrew Collins (@ACollinsPhoto) June 13, 2021
Horse cops (I'm sorry, Mounted Unit officers) were sent in to disperse the crowd, as seen in videos from the scene published to Instagram.
According to the Toronto Police Service, officers initially responded to a call for a stabbing at Ashbridge's Bay Park, next to Woodbine Beach, at 9:16 p.m. on Saturday, June 12.
Upon arrival, officers found "people firing Roman candle fireworks at other people." Police say a fight erupted as a result of the firework antics, during which a man "produced an edged weapon" and stabbed the 16-year-old victim "multiple times."
The teenager was found unconscious with stab wounds and transported to hospital in serious, but not life-threatening condition.
STABBING: Ashbridge's Bay Park, one person stabbed, two arrests made at scene, very large crowd gathered on the beach. @TorontoMedics are there to treat the victim. Mounted Unit is now on scene & more officers on way for crowd control/disperse the large crowd. #GO1100650
— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) June 13, 2021
^rr pic.twitter.com/kb7kAB2dJS
A suspect later identified as 24-year-old Livingston Bromwell is said to have initially fled the scene, but was caught by officers and charged with attempted murder.
Fortunately, police say nobody else was seriously injured in the fray despite the presence of two males — both 16, both charged with assault with a weapon — "firing Roman candles at other people in the large crowd that had gathered."
Videos that were reportedly filmed at the beach that evening indeed show very large crowds of young people gathered tightly together.
"SHE LIKE THE WAY I ERRR" ⛱🎶🇨🇦 #Toronto #WoodbineBeach pic.twitter.com/l2fGrHxzsN
— Straightouttathe6ixtv (@sot6ixtv) June 14, 2021
This was at least the second high-profile mass gathering in as many weeks during which teens were seen playing with fireworks (specifically Roman candles) near Toronto's eastern waterfront, and residents of the normally quiet Beaches neighbourhood aren't pleased.
"Great! With the new variant here, I'm seeing another lockdown if we don't control the crowds!" wrote one Twitter user in response to police.
"Allowing anyone to access beaches and parks after sunset has become a serious problem, something our community has repeatedly been dealing with," wrote another.
"The disrespect by some people these days is appalling. Public spaces were never treated like this, it has to stop."
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