The family of a man shot on a driveway in Markham is questioning why the 12-year-old charged with attempted murder is again out on bail.
In a statement sent to media on Thursday, the Ravzi family said they are “relieved” that York Regional Police had quickly arrested the suspect. But that was quickly overshadowed, the statement says, by the boy being released on bail.
“It is shocking to our family that someone so young who has been accused of several violent crimes can be out on bail so quickly,” said the statement sent via PR firm Daisy Group. The injured man’s first name was not provided.
Police responded to reports of a shooting in the McCowan Road and 14th Avenue area on Aug. 14 around 5:20 p.m., a press release said. They found a man with gunshot wounds who was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Almost three weeks later, police arrested the 12-year-old from 色色啦 and charged him with attempted murder, discharging a firearm with intent, possession of property obtained by crime and possession of a firearm.
In addition, he was charged with failing to comply with a previous release order.
The boy, according to police, was on a release order for “unrelated violent offences.” The details of those offences were not provided. A police spokesperson said the charges were not laid in York Region.
Police confirmed to the Star that the 12-year-old was released on a new bail. The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) prevents publication of young offenders’ names and also prohibits reporters from accessing court files related to their case without a judge’s order.
Twelve is the youngest someone can be in Canada to be charged criminally.
Punishment under the YCJA is purposefully different than the adult system, with the emphasis being on rehabilitation. The act recognizes that young people have what it calls “diminished moral blameworthiness or culpability” for the same crimes adults may find themselves sentenced for.
There is no mandatory minimum sentence for youth found guilty of attempted murder and any custodial sentence cannot be more than three years.
The Ravzi family said they are struggling with the allegations.
“The last few weeks have been a nightmare for our family,” their statement said. “Watching the victim slowly recover, and trying to make sense of the idea that someone could commit such a heinous nonsensical attack on our family has kept us all awake at night and holding our children closer.”
It went on: “This individual was already free due to the bail laws in Canada, and the failure to identify a potentially dangerous re-offender, regardless of age, is a devastating failure of the justice system.”
It also said they are “skeptical” a 12-year-old acted alone.
“This was a highly choreographed crime that involved a driver who fled the scene with the alleged shooter. We are shocked by the notion that a child has been potentially used as a pawn in this serious crime.”聽
At a press conference on Wednesday, York police Chief Jim MacSween spoke about a spike in youth crimes and also urged the federal government to consider bail reforms for violent offenders.
鈥淎s young people continue to be recruited and exploited by criminal networks, York Regional Police is working hard to disrupt and dismantle these criminal organizations,鈥 the chief said, not speaking to any one case.
鈥淏ut as they say, it takes a village and it鈥檚 up to the entire community, including institutions and families, to ensure our kids have positive influences and opportunities to keep them away from crime and on a path to success. And if they do get into trouble we need to be sure they are being rehabilitated effectively so they don鈥檛 reoffend.鈥
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