13-year-olds charged for allegedly stabbing girl ‘numerous times’ in Vaughan

Two 13-year-old girls were charged for allegedly stabbing another girl “numerous times” in Vaughan on the weekend, York Region police said on Monday.

The stabbing happened in a shopping plaza parking lot on Rutherford Road, east of Highway 400, shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday, according to Sgt. Clint Whitney, spokesperson for York Regional Police.

“This incident is shocking, this incident is upsetting to the community and it’s a traumatic experience for the victim and for the people that witnessed this,” Whitney said.

“Our heart goes out to the victim in this case and we’re hoping that there’s people out there that saw this that can provide some understanding as to what transpired. And we’re hoping that they’ll contact us so that we can put together the fullest case possible.”

Whitney told reporters on Monday that officers were initially called to the scene because a group of youths were causing a disturbance at a fast food restaurant in the plaza.

He said the disturbance turned into a fight in the parking lot and a 13-year-old girl was stabbed. Officers found her with “multiple stab wound injuries” and she was taken to hospital for treatment, police said. The injuries were not life-threatening, police added.

Officers also found the two female suspects and they were taken into custody, he added. A knife was recovered at the scene.

The two accused, one from Richmond Hill and the other from Vaughan, were each charged with one count of assault with a weapon. They cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The girl from Richmond Hill was held for a bail hearing, while the girl from Vaughan was released from police custody and is scheduled to appear in Ontario Youth Justice Court in Newmarket on Oct.19.

Whitney said investigators are aware that there were several witnesses to the incident and there were several videos related to the stabbing circulating on social media.

Anyone who may have witnessed the stabbing or who may have information about the videos is asked to contact York Region police.