Vanessa Del Carpio
Staff Writer
Police are investigating an incident a “possible stabbing” near Winters College the Thursday before reading week.
Toronto police and York security responded to a report of a possible assault October 6 on the east side of Winters College around 1:20 p.m. There were weapons and injuries reported. The four purported assailants and the victim fled the scene, but physical descriptions were taken.
York’s weekly security incident log reveals someone matching the victim’s description was observed on the university’s CCTV, but states that the “individual eluded security and police and was not located.”
“We were shocked and saddened that such an incident could occur on our campus,” says York Federation of Students (YFS) president Vanessa Hunt.
She says the YFS is doing as much work as possible regarding campus safety issues.
“We will continue to lobby the university administration, mobilize the student body, engage the community and continue to work with campus partners towards a safer and more inclusive environment,” she says.
Winters students have been quick to defend their community.
“As a Winters student, I know that the people involved in the incident are definitely not part of the Winters community,” says Ian D’Sylva, a Winters College frosh boss, “although it is a possibility that one or two [of them] are
affiliated with Winters College.”
“Last year, I lived in Winters [residence] and was hanging around there at all hours of the night,” he continues. “All of the people that hang around Winters the majority of the time are not at all dangerous people.”
Toronto Police Service describes the suspects as Suspect 1—male, black, 5’ 5, 19 years old, wearing a dark blue hoodie and black brimmed hat; Suspect 2—male, black, 5’ 8, thin build, 17-19 years old, wearing a checkered hoody hood up; Suspect 3—male, black, 5’ 6, wearing a baseball hat, navy blue vest, and baggy jeans; and Suspect 4—male, black.
With files from York Security Bulletin and Weekly Security Incident Log
