Greater Victoria School District urges parents to speak with kids after rash of youth crimes
The Greater Victoria School District (SD61) is asking families to speak with their children after a rash of recent crimes by youth in Victoria.
Over the past month, Victoria police say they've investigated more than 30 crimes involving youth in the downtown core – with eight teens being arrested this past weekend.
Many of the incidents are occurring on Friday and Saturday evenings, and generally involve violence, vandalism, and the open consumption of alcohol and drugs by minors, according to SD61.
In some of the incidents, youth and adults have been injured, and police have found several weapons – like knives or bear spray, on several youth.
The Greater Victoria School District has now sent a letter to families who have kids in high school in the region.
"Not specific to schools or any incidents, but really an overview of how to interact downtown and how to be a positive contributing member of the community," said Deb Whitten, interim superintendent for SD61.
The letter asks that families create plans with their children that outline how kids will get home safely, and how to respond if they feel like they're in a risky situation.
"We recognize that youth have had a difficult few years adjusting to the impact of COVID; with the relaxing of restrictions for all, it is only natural that our youth want to be together," reads the letter sent to families on Tuesday.
REGIONAL ISSUE
The school district says families can check their municipalities to see what rec centre activates or community programs are available to youth.
Victoria police say the youth that are coming to the downtown core on the weekends come from communities across the South Island.
Police say they're working with community partners from Victoria to Saanich to Langford and beyond to try to address the trend.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.