A disturbing incident in Barrie has led to the arrest of a 15-year-old girl, with police now seeking another youth connected to a violent assault.
On the night of July 31, police responded to a call at Lakeshore Drive and Victoria Street, where they found a 16-year-old girl with non-life threatening injuries. The victim has since been treated and released from the hospital.
During their investigation, authorities uncovered a video of the assault circulating on social media. Barrie Police expressed deep concern not only over the violence of the attack but also the behavior of bystanders. Several individuals were seen cheering on the aggressors, encouraging the violence, and recording the incident on their phones.
The police emphasized the importance of choosing compassion over capturing content for online attention during emergencies.
The 15-year-old suspect has been arrested and charged with assault. However, authorities are now seeking a second youth believed to be involved in the assault and urge them to come forward.
Due to legal restrictions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the identities of those involved cannot be disclosed by police. These restrictions also apply to social media, with severe consequences for sharing identifying details of young offenders, witnesses, or victims under 18.