How a gang of heartless girls as young as 13 brutally killed a man standing up for his friend
Three of the eight teenage girls accused of stabbing a homeless man to death in Toronto more than a year ago have pleaded guilty in court, according to local reports.
Ken Lee, 59, a Hong Kong national who was trying to find housing in Toronto, was allegedly beaten and stabbed by the gang of girls aged 13 to 16 in December 2022.
It is believed Lee was attacked while defending a friend from whom the girls were trying to steal a bottle of liquor.
Each of the girls was arrested and charged with manslaughter, with Detective Sergeant Terry Browne of the Toronto Police Service calling the incident “shocking” and “disturbing.”
One of the girls, who was 13 years old at the time, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Monday. CBC News.
Ken Lee, 59, an immigrant from Hong Kong trying to find housing in Toronto, was beaten and stabbed by eight girls between the ages of 13 and 16
Two other girls previously pleaded guilty to single charges in the case: one for manslaughter and the other for assault occasioning bodily harm and assault with a weapon.
Six of the girls are facing charges of second-degree murder, while two face the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Police allege Lee, who was 59 and living in the city’s shelter system, died after being engulfed and stabbed by the group. Lee was pronounced dead on arrival at a Toronto hospital shortly afterwards.
When a vigil was held for Lee at the downtown Toronto Homeless Memorial, he was remembered by visitors as a quiet person and devoted friend.
“No one was surprised that he stood up for someone like that,” Sanctuary Toronto spokesperson and pastor Johnson Hatlem said of Lee.
Browne said Lee started living in Toronto’s shelter system in September.
“He has a very supportive family in the area, so I wouldn’t necessarily call him homeless. Maybe because of some misfortune recently,” he said.
The gruesome stabbing happened Sunday around 12:15 p.m. near the intersection of York Street, University Avenue and Front Street West. It is believed the girls, who had previously met on social media, were trying to steal the victim’s alcohol when they attacked him
Roberto Sanchez, who often holds the door open at a nearby Tim Hortons, told CTV News “He was friendly. He was generous. He was a kind-hearted person. Everyone has their problems. But all in all, I didn’t see him as a threat to anyone.”
‘For those young people to do that to him is heartbreaking. I can not believe it.’
This was said by a resident of the nearby Strathcona Hotel where Lee was staying CTV News Toronto that the teens were drinking, and tried to steal Lee’s friend’s alcohol.
Lee was with a girlfriend in a plaza northwest of the intersection of University Avenue and York Street when he was attacked.
“They were sitting on a bench, drinking booze from a mickey and having a cigarette,” said witness Ken Webber.
“I saw the aftermath of the attack.” The teens stood “outside the stairwell of Union Station, arguing, yelling and screaming,” he added.
This was reported by a police source The Toronto Sun the girls were ‘like wild animals’.
Pictured: the homeless shelter where the victim stayed before he was stabbed. Police believe all eight teenage girls are ‘equally guilty’ of the horrific street murder
Browne said the victim began living in Toronto’s shelter system in September. He said they have not been able to reach certain family members and until they do, they will not release his name
‘They are all young perpetrators. They attacked this man like a bunch of wild animals. He tried to fight them off, but they kept coming back,” the source said. “He was just minding his own business, he wasn’t bothering anyone.”
Browne said the crime shocked even police.
“I’ve been in law enforcement for almost 35 years and you think you’ve seen it all,” he said. “Anyone who isn’t shocked to hear something like this has clearly thrown in the towel and said anything is possible in this world.
‘Eight young girls and most of them under the age of 16. If this isn’t alarming and shocking to everyone, then frankly we’re all in trouble.”
Browne said the same girls got into a fight in the area earlier in the evening. He declined to reveal more details but confirmed they met on social media.