'Coming down to wreak havoc': Victoria police, business owners speak on surge in youth crimes
Victoria police and some local business owners aren't mincing words when it comes to a recent surge in crimes committed by youth in the downtown core.
Maurio Schelini owns the Tuscan Kitchen on View Street in downtown Victoria. He says he was bear sprayed in the face at his business by a 15-year-old.
"The fellow that left the store first just sprayed me in the face," Schelini told CTV News.
Two teenagers began acting obnoxiously in the store several weeks ago. Schelini asked them to leave, and then the alleged assault occurred just outside the shop.
"After that, I ran into the washroom and ran my face under water for two hours," said the business owner.
Maurio Schelini, owner of the Tuscan Kitchen in downtown Victoria, is pictured. (CTV News)
The police were called and later arrested the pair in Bastion Square.
"That’s when I saw two of [the knives] were missing," said Schelini.
He then realized the pair had stolen two knives from his store.
ORGANIZED GROUPS
The Victoria Police Department says it's seen a disturbing trend unfolding over the past three weeks.
"They are coming down to wreak havoc," said Bowen Osoko, spokesperson for VicPD.
Ringleaders are organizing groups through social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, police say.
Teens come downtown on public transit from outlining municipalities, bringing with them drugs, booze and weapons with one purpose in mind, according to Victoria police.
"What we’re seeing is lots of assaults, assaults with weapons, assaults targeting unhoused people," said Osoko.
To date, 25 major incidents are being investigated. This includes a group of 25 youths who reportedly attacked a 70-year-old man on Douglas Street.
A group of 14 youths also swarmed a police officer, trying to prevent their friend from being arrested, police say.
On May 6, a group of up to 150 youths marched up Government Street from Dallas Road, stomping overtop of vehicles and kicking off rear view mirrors, according to VicPD.
Residents who spoke to CTV News on Friday had mixed responses on the issue, with some saying they felt less safe in the downtown area recently, while others felt like there wasn't a significant change.
The Victoria Police Department is working with all police agencies in the region on these files. VicPD says this week the focus will be on breaking up these gatherings and to enforce the law.
"We’ll be seizing weapons, we’ll be making arrests, and where appropriate, we will be recommending charges," said Osoko.
Back at the Tuscan Kitchen, Schelini has proceeded with pressing charges against his attackers.
"I don’t regret pressing charges and I hope that’s the first and last time that these two kids will do what they did," said Schelini.
None of the charges have been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.