Police identify Toronto man allegedly stabbed to death by teen girls - BBC

The individuality of a 59-year-old antheral killed successful Toronto aft allegedly being "swarmed" by a radical of 8 teenage girls has been released by Canadian authorities.

Ken Lee was fatally stabbed connected a acold nighttime successful mid-December.

Police said helium was surrounded by girls aged betwixt 13 and 16, who were arrested adjacent and charged successful the days aft the attack.

Lee had precocious been surviving successful a stateless shelter.

Toronto constabulary released his individuality connected Tuesday, weeks aft the 18 December onslaught which took spot adjacent midnight section clip successful the city's downtown halfway pursuing an altercation. Police person said they judge Lee whitethorn person been preyed upon due to the fact that helium was spotted carrying alcohol.

He aboriginal died successful hospital.

The girls are presently facing second-degree execution charges. As minors, they cannot beryllium identified nether Canadian law.

Police said the girls archetypal met online earlier gathering successful idiosyncratic the nighttime of the attack, perchance for the archetypal time. They bash not judge it was pack related.

The onslaught shocked the city, with Toronto Mayor John Tory saying helium was "deeply disturbed" by the case.

"I've been successful policing for astir 35 years and you deliberation you've seen it all," Detective Sergeant Terry Browne told the Associated Press successful a December interview. "If this isn't alarming and shocking to everyone, past we're each successful occupation rather frankly."

Speaking to reporters aft the assault, Detective Browne called the battle an "anomaly", adding that the girls arrived to the downtown Toronto country from antithetic parts of the city.

Police recovered respective weapons astatine the country of the crime, but did not accidental which type.

Three of the girls person had anterior run-ins with police, authorities said.

Lee's sanction was added connected Tuesday to the Toronto Homeless Memorial, maintained by the Church of the Holy Trinity adjacent the metropolis centre.

Doug Johnson Hatlem, a thoroughfare pastor who works with the stateless assemblage successful Toronto told the BBC connected Wednesday that, portion helium did not cognize Lee personally, helium knew galore who did.

"People called him Kenny," helium said, and helium was idiosyncratic who was generous and loyal. "He was known to beryllium precise gentle and kind."

Lee's decease has struck a nervus among radical surviving connected the streets successful Toronto, who are facing expanding levels of unit and abuse, helium said.