Kee Lee.Photo: Toronto Police Service
In apress release, Toronto Police Service named the 59-year-old victim as Ken Lee.
The fatal stabbing occurred shortly after midnight on December 18, in the University Avenue and York Street area of the city.
Lee had moved into the city’s homeless shelter system last fall after experiencing some “hard luck,” according to Browne. Friends from the shelter told local outlets he didn’t live there anymore but was visiting someone at the shelter when the attack occurred.
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Webber alleged that the girls approached the victim and his friend and tried to steal their alcohol, which police believe prompted the altercation.
Lee’s friend corroborated this account,telling Global News she was with himwhen the alleged assault happened and that the victim was defending her as the teens tried to take her liquor.
“I saw everything,” the friend told the news channel. “He [tried to] stop them, ‘leave her alone,’ and they [stabbed him] and [he was] bleeding.”
At a ceremony Tuesday outside the Toronto Homeless Memorial, advocates spoke out against violence targeting homeless people. Diana Chan McNally, harm reduction case manager at All Saints Toronto, told CBC that she believes violence against homeless populations is getting worse.
At a prior press conference, Browne said, “We really can’t see what the [connection] is with these eight young ladies right now. But our sense is…that there’s probably some sort of social media component to it.”
The girls came from varying pairs of the city, and Browne said it was unclear why they chose to meet that night. Browne also said the girls were believed to have had at least one other altercation that evening.
All eight teens have beencharged with second-degree murder. Browne said this was because “all eight were involved,” per CBC. “I won’t say what each one individually did, but all eight were together and participating in this event, which is disturbing.”
One of the teens got out on bail in late December, and the others currently havebail hearings scheduled for later this month, according to CBC. Their identities will reportedly remain undisclosed under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
“My thoughts are with this [victim’s] friends and all those who knew him as they mourn his loss,” Mayor John Tory told PEOPLE in an earlier statement. “Acts of violence like this are unacceptable and the Toronto Police have my full support.”
It’s unclear whether the girls have issued pleas or retained attorneys.
source: people.com
