While a recent media report points to an upward trend in the proportion of teenagers being murdered each year across the city, a Toronto police spokeswoman says it's not reason for panic.
While Const. Wendy Drummond does acknowledge there was an increase in homicide victims aged 19 and under from 2005 to 2006 - six young victims in 2005 and 11 in 2006 - the years following have been more or less consistent, she said. Statistics provided by Drummond show that six of 79 homicide victims in 2005 were 19 or under, while 11 of 70 murders in 2006 were youth. That represents about 7.6 per cent and 15.7 per cent respectively involving young victims. But she noted from 2006 to 2009, the number of young people murdered has been relatively stable - 11 in 2006, 15 in 2007, 13 in 2008 and 14 in 2009, with seven so far in 2010. Based on police statistics, the proportion of young victims compared to total homicides in 2007 is 17.6 per cent, 18.6 per cent in 2008, 22.6 per cent in 2009, and 19.4 per cent so far this year.But while there was a rise in youth murders from 2005 to the present, Drummond also provided statistics for 2003 showing 15 of 67 victims, or 22.4 per cent, were 19 and under. "When you look at the numbers objectively ... it's pretty consistent," she said. "We do get periods where it appears to be an increase in the number of homicides ... but at the completion of the year it somewhat evens out the numbers," said Drummond. "It's up one year, down the next," she said of the homicide statistics. "You can always find a trending pattern up or down ... I think it needs to be put into perspective."That being said, Drummond explained the police "are always adjusting to our statistics" and have several programs such as the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) and other proactive initiatives "that are working towards reducing the amount of youth violence ... trying to make those connections with kids and having someone to turn to within the schools and report things before they happen."On Aug. 14, Toronto police teamed up with Toronto Hydro, Toronto Community Housing and residents of the Mount Olive Drive and Kipling Avenue neighbourhood in north Etobicoke for a community clean-up and safety initiative. Toronto Hydro provided free energy-efficient light bulbs to residents while police encouraged them to keep the lights on at night for added safety.Also on Aug. 14, there was an anti-drug/anti-violence parade and rally through the streets of north Etobicoke organized by the Toronto West Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Rexdale church was the site of a shooting during a funeral five years ago. Amon Beckles, 18, was gunned down outside the church while attending the service for his best friend, Jamal Hemmings, 17. The latest teenager to die from homicide in Toronto was Andrew Dowden, 17, found dead in the Humber River July 30. Three boys were charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death. Drummond stressed the police take the homicide numbers seriously among youth and adults. "There's always a concern anytime there's a homicide," she said. "Our optimum objective is public safety. Regardless of numbers we're always going to strive to get those numbers down."One is too many."