14-Year-Old Arrested After Stabbing in Pickering

Police east of Toronto report that they have taken a 14-year-old boy into custody and lifted a shelter-in-place order following a “sadistic and cowardly” stabbing incident that resulted in the death of a woman in a Pickering, Ont., neighborhood.

At approximately 5:40 p. m. on Thursday, police sent out an emergency alert advising residents near 2125 Lynn Heights Dr. in Pickering to stay indoors.

The alert was triggered after a stabbing occurred around 3 p. m., when an elderly woman was attacked by a male suspect, whom authorities stated she didn’t know. The woman was quickly transported to a trauma center in the Toronto area but unfortunately did not survive her injuries.

Durham Regional Police Chief Peter Moreira mentioned that officers were unaware of any motive behind the attack, which he described as “sadistic and cowardly.”

For hours following the initial incident, police indicated they had yet to apprehend the suspect and were uncertain of his whereabouts. They advised residents to remain indoors since he had fled on foot and was believed to be armed.

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The emergency alert led to news that the City of Pickering would close its community centers, libraries, and other facilities as part of the shelter-in-place directive.

“All scheduled City programs and classes are also cancelled until further notice,” said the city in a brief announcement.

Around 8:45 p. m., roughly three hours after issuing the emergency alert and nearly six hours post-attack, police confirmed they had arrested a young teenager.

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“We’re announcing that we’ve arrested a 13-year-old male from Pickering and he’s been taken into custody by our tactical support unit without incident,” Chief Moreira informed reporters.

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“I want to thank the members of our community for sheltering in place and doing exactly what we asked them to do. At this point here, you can go freely about your day-to-day lives.”

Police corrected the accused’s age to 14 on Friday after he appeared in court.

Moreira explained that the arrest resulted from numerous officers being mobilized from his force as well as from Toronto police and Ontario Provincial Police. He added that investigators were still determining charges following the arrest.

Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe expressed that it was a “shocking day in our city” due to this incident affecting everyone around.

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“The randomness is shocking but by and large we are a safe community,” he remarked. “We have an excellent police service here in our region. We have very robust eyes on the street with road watches and community watches.”

The chief reiterated their belief that this attack was random with no established connection at this time.

“As you can appreciate that investigation has just really started in earnest,” Moreira noted.

Rare emergency alert issued

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