Two 13-year-old girls face assault with a weapon charges after a 13-year-old girl was stabbed numerous times in a plaza parking lot in Vaughan Saturday night.
A large group of youths were gathered at a fast food restaurant on Rutherford Road east of Highway 400 on Saturday, Sept. 16 around 8 p.m. when a fight ensued in the parking lot and a youth was stabbed, York Regional Police said in a news release.
Responding officers found a 13-year-old girl with multiple injuries and arrested two female suspects. A knife was recovered at the scene, police said.
The victim was transported to hospital in non life-threatening condition, police said.
Two 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, police added.
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 Newmarket on Oct. 19, 2023.
The area of the incident has many shops and restaurants and is well travelled by pedestrians and vehicles, police said. Police believe numerous witnesses were present 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 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.
