Post by Admin on Sept 30, 2007 13:20:31 GMT -5
HALIFAX - People in a neighbourhood hit by a string of violent crimes reacted with disbelief Friday after learning the grisly details of a vicious attack that left a young woman burned, battered and barely recognizable.
Neighbours in nearby Dartmouth said they knew little of the brutal attack before reading newspaper accounts of how an 18-year-old teen was repeatedly beaten unconscious, singed with cigarettes in her ears and on her tongue, and allegedly set on fire by three young females.
Most were stunned by the incident on Sept. 20, saying their north-end neighbourhood has been afflicted by violence before but never anything of this nature.
"You're horrified. You don't know what word to use for it, that such violence can go on with our young people today," said Joan Crossley, a 72-year-old mother who has lived in the neighbourhood for 30 years.
"You're shocked. You're frustrated. You're scared to go out to walk on the street."
Police have released few details about the case since it's before the courts, but conceded that the incident was unusually vicious for both the nature of the attack and the length of time it's believed to have lasted.
Media reports have suggested the attack, which occurred in a wooded area behind John Martin Junior High School, lasted about two hours. In that time, three girls, age 14, 15 and 18, allegedly beat the victim unconscious, reviving her repeatedly to batter her again, according to reports.
The 14-and 15-year-old girls are facing charges under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The 18-year-old is charged as an adult.
According to unnamed sources quoted in local papers, the victim was rolled down a hill, made to walk up it without socks or shoes and then kicked and punched.
The young woman, who fled while her alleged assailants stopped for a cigarette break, suffered a fractured eye socket, broken nose and bruises on her face.
She also had cigarette burns inside her ears and on her tongue. Sources also told one paper that the girl's hair was set alight.
"It's unusual, incredibly unusual," said Crown prosecutor John Nisbet, who handles cases involving young offenders.
"But there is an aggressiveness in female youth that's very disturbing."
The girl's father said in a television interview that the girl was released from hospital a few days ago after having plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery on her eye sockets.
Police Chief Frank Beazley said he hasn't seen many cases like this in his career with the force, adding that Ottawa needs to revamp the Youth Criminal Justice Act to ensure young offenders are not a threat to the public.
"This is just another example of where this act fails to protect the public from youth that are somewhat out of control," he said in an interview.
"I've seen some terrible things before, but it's just the brutally of it that just shocks all of us."
Const. Randy Wood spent Friday speaking to people in the neighbourhood, trying to assure them that this wasn't a random attack.
"We're trying to instill a sense of security, that it was not random and not something they'll have to deal with on an extended basis," said Wood, a community officer in the low-income area.
"This case has evoked a lot of emotion in the community, but we're helping people understand what happened."
The three girls have been charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public. One is also charged with breaching court orders. The two younger girls are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for bail hearings.
This most recent case has renewed concerns about the level of violence in a city where people once left their doors unlocked and worried little about walking the streets at night.
That has changed in recent years as the general crime rate and youth crime rate have increased, giving the province the fifth highest crime rate in the country for 2006.
Police said it's the random attacks that are alarming them as they see the number of gratuitous assaults steadily rise.
Recently, three young girls were charged with using metal table legs to assault a woman in her 60s as she strolled home near a central Halifax park.
And four security guards were stabbed last month, allegedly by a 16-year-old assailant at a teen dance.
Police said the three teens in this latest attack knew the alleged victim and speculated that it was linked to a previous dispute.
"It's pretty shocking," said Nancy Willis, who runs the Boys and Girls Club in the area. "This has thrown a great number of people into shock."
The neighbourhood has seen its share of violence before. In 1999, Jason MacCullough was shot to death in a nearby park. Some residents said Friday that there have been several other incidents involving beatings, property damage and theft.
Neighbours in nearby Dartmouth said they knew little of the brutal attack before reading newspaper accounts of how an 18-year-old teen was repeatedly beaten unconscious, singed with cigarettes in her ears and on her tongue, and allegedly set on fire by three young females.
Most were stunned by the incident on Sept. 20, saying their north-end neighbourhood has been afflicted by violence before but never anything of this nature.
"You're horrified. You don't know what word to use for it, that such violence can go on with our young people today," said Joan Crossley, a 72-year-old mother who has lived in the neighbourhood for 30 years.
"You're shocked. You're frustrated. You're scared to go out to walk on the street."
Police have released few details about the case since it's before the courts, but conceded that the incident was unusually vicious for both the nature of the attack and the length of time it's believed to have lasted.
Media reports have suggested the attack, which occurred in a wooded area behind John Martin Junior High School, lasted about two hours. In that time, three girls, age 14, 15 and 18, allegedly beat the victim unconscious, reviving her repeatedly to batter her again, according to reports.
The 14-and 15-year-old girls are facing charges under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The 18-year-old is charged as an adult.
According to unnamed sources quoted in local papers, the victim was rolled down a hill, made to walk up it without socks or shoes and then kicked and punched.
The young woman, who fled while her alleged assailants stopped for a cigarette break, suffered a fractured eye socket, broken nose and bruises on her face.
She also had cigarette burns inside her ears and on her tongue. Sources also told one paper that the girl's hair was set alight.
"It's unusual, incredibly unusual," said Crown prosecutor John Nisbet, who handles cases involving young offenders.
"But there is an aggressiveness in female youth that's very disturbing."
The girl's father said in a television interview that the girl was released from hospital a few days ago after having plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery on her eye sockets.
Police Chief Frank Beazley said he hasn't seen many cases like this in his career with the force, adding that Ottawa needs to revamp the Youth Criminal Justice Act to ensure young offenders are not a threat to the public.
"This is just another example of where this act fails to protect the public from youth that are somewhat out of control," he said in an interview.
"I've seen some terrible things before, but it's just the brutally of it that just shocks all of us."
Const. Randy Wood spent Friday speaking to people in the neighbourhood, trying to assure them that this wasn't a random attack.
"We're trying to instill a sense of security, that it was not random and not something they'll have to deal with on an extended basis," said Wood, a community officer in the low-income area.
"This case has evoked a lot of emotion in the community, but we're helping people understand what happened."
The three girls have been charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public. One is also charged with breaching court orders. The two younger girls are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for bail hearings.
This most recent case has renewed concerns about the level of violence in a city where people once left their doors unlocked and worried little about walking the streets at night.
That has changed in recent years as the general crime rate and youth crime rate have increased, giving the province the fifth highest crime rate in the country for 2006.
Police said it's the random attacks that are alarming them as they see the number of gratuitous assaults steadily rise.
Recently, three young girls were charged with using metal table legs to assault a woman in her 60s as she strolled home near a central Halifax park.
And four security guards were stabbed last month, allegedly by a 16-year-old assailant at a teen dance.
Police said the three teens in this latest attack knew the alleged victim and speculated that it was linked to a previous dispute.
"It's pretty shocking," said Nancy Willis, who runs the Boys and Girls Club in the area. "This has thrown a great number of people into shock."
The neighbourhood has seen its share of violence before. In 1999, Jason MacCullough was shot to death in a nearby park. Some residents said Friday that there have been several other incidents involving beatings, property damage and theft.