Invading gangs hit Barrhaven
Barrhaven Councillor, police meet to seek solution
Ken Gray
The Ottawa Citizen
Thursday, June 12, 2003
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Knife- and lead-pipe-wielding gangs of up to 30 youths have attacked young people in Barrhaven, stealing cash, jackets, alcohol and drugs, the city councillor for the area says.
The situation has become so serious that Councillor Jan Harder is scheduling an emergency meeting with police this week to deal with the problem.
The gangs, believed to be from the Britannia, Merivale and South Keys neighbourhoods, are using weapons in the attacks or are swarming unsuspecting youths, Ms. Harder says. A 23-year-old man was slashed with a knife across the back by one of a group of about 12 youths in an assault on last week.
"It's an affluent community," Ms. Harder said. "The kids have good clothing, drugs, alcohol and money. The gangs know they're going to score when they go to Barrhaven."
"Parents and kids in my community shouldn't feel afraid to go for a walk after the sun goes down."
The attacks are random and usually occur when events, such as Barrhaven Day or Canada Day, are held in the southwest Ottawa suburb, Ms. Harder said.
The gangs are not groups with colours or motorcycle affiliations. Instead, Ms. Harder said, they are young people often from a similar ethnic background who gather to pick on unsuspecting targets.
The situation has deteriorated to the point where Ms. Harder said she is delaying opening a youth activity program at the Walter Baker Sports Centre.
Parents back the program, but are refusing to allow their sons and daughters to go near the centre at night, Ms. Harder said. For some events in Barrhaven, community groups are hiring off-duty police officers for security due to attacks.
The problem in the suburb began about a year ago and has become so pervasive that victims of the ganges are now reluctant to come forward because of possible retribution, she said. Indeed, the 23-year-old victim in last week's assault declined to talk with the Citizen because he was concerned about a second attack.
Because of the incidents, residents in Barrhaven now expect police protection at public events.
However, the police don't understand the extent of the problem because they are not riding the buses, Ms. Harder said. The councillor believes the gangs of youths travel to Barrhaven in search of victims.
Police Insp. Ralph Erfle said a 16-year-old has been charged with aggravated assault in last week's attack. His identity cannot be revealed because of provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Other charges in the incident are being considered while the attack is still under investigation, Insp. Erfle said.
The people who carried out the attack are believed to be from Britannia, Parkwood Hills and the Barrhaven area, Insp. Erfle said.
There have been about 60 youth gang attacks and swarmings in the city this year, evenly split between the east and west ends, Insp. Erfle said.
Const. Maria Amber, an officer at the Bayshore community police centre, said she began to hear of youth gangs travelling to Barrhaven looking for victims late last year.
Barrhaven youths "have more money and stuff," Const. Amber said, and therefore make better targets for attacks.
However, Const. Amber believes the gangs have stopped travelling to Barrhaven from her area.
Const. Valerie Curcio, a neighbourhood officer for Barrhaven, said police have stepped up charges for alcohol offences in parks and are enforcing the 11 p.m. park curfew in an effort to cut down on violence.
This is the second consecutive summer of youth violence in the west end.
Last year, youths were converging on Britannia from across the city to witness "prize fights" -- pre-planned battles between well-known toughs.
The problems centred on the Coliseum movie theatre parking lot and also involved a car theft ring.
Problems there this year have subsided with increased police vigilance and better security at the theatre, Const. Amber said.
In South Keys this spring, a swarming of two 15-year-old girls and their possible sexual assault outraged the community. In 2001, two teenagers were assaulted in broad daylight at the mall and hospitalized.
Barrhaven Councillor, police meet to seek solution
Ken Gray
The Ottawa Citizen
Thursday, June 12, 2003
ADVERTISEMENT
Knife- and lead-pipe-wielding gangs of up to 30 youths have attacked young people in Barrhaven, stealing cash, jackets, alcohol and drugs, the city councillor for the area says.
The situation has become so serious that Councillor Jan Harder is scheduling an emergency meeting with police this week to deal with the problem.
The gangs, believed to be from the Britannia, Merivale and South Keys neighbourhoods, are using weapons in the attacks or are swarming unsuspecting youths, Ms. Harder says. A 23-year-old man was slashed with a knife across the back by one of a group of about 12 youths in an assault on last week.
"It's an affluent community," Ms. Harder said. "The kids have good clothing, drugs, alcohol and money. The gangs know they're going to score when they go to Barrhaven."
"Parents and kids in my community shouldn't feel afraid to go for a walk after the sun goes down."
The attacks are random and usually occur when events, such as Barrhaven Day or Canada Day, are held in the southwest Ottawa suburb, Ms. Harder said.
The gangs are not groups with colours or motorcycle affiliations. Instead, Ms. Harder said, they are young people often from a similar ethnic background who gather to pick on unsuspecting targets.
The situation has deteriorated to the point where Ms. Harder said she is delaying opening a youth activity program at the Walter Baker Sports Centre.
Parents back the program, but are refusing to allow their sons and daughters to go near the centre at night, Ms. Harder said. For some events in Barrhaven, community groups are hiring off-duty police officers for security due to attacks.
The problem in the suburb began about a year ago and has become so pervasive that victims of the ganges are now reluctant to come forward because of possible retribution, she said. Indeed, the 23-year-old victim in last week's assault declined to talk with the Citizen because he was concerned about a second attack.
Because of the incidents, residents in Barrhaven now expect police protection at public events.
However, the police don't understand the extent of the problem because they are not riding the buses, Ms. Harder said. The councillor believes the gangs of youths travel to Barrhaven in search of victims.
Police Insp. Ralph Erfle said a 16-year-old has been charged with aggravated assault in last week's attack. His identity cannot be revealed because of provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Other charges in the incident are being considered while the attack is still under investigation, Insp. Erfle said.
The people who carried out the attack are believed to be from Britannia, Parkwood Hills and the Barrhaven area, Insp. Erfle said.
There have been about 60 youth gang attacks and swarmings in the city this year, evenly split between the east and west ends, Insp. Erfle said.
Const. Maria Amber, an officer at the Bayshore community police centre, said she began to hear of youth gangs travelling to Barrhaven looking for victims late last year.
Barrhaven youths "have more money and stuff," Const. Amber said, and therefore make better targets for attacks.
However, Const. Amber believes the gangs have stopped travelling to Barrhaven from her area.
Const. Valerie Curcio, a neighbourhood officer for Barrhaven, said police have stepped up charges for alcohol offences in parks and are enforcing the 11 p.m. park curfew in an effort to cut down on violence.
This is the second consecutive summer of youth violence in the west end.
Last year, youths were converging on Britannia from across the city to witness "prize fights" -- pre-planned battles between well-known toughs.
The problems centred on the Coliseum movie theatre parking lot and also involved a car theft ring.
Problems there this year have subsided with increased police vigilance and better security at the theatre, Const. Amber said.
In South Keys this spring, a swarming of two 15-year-old girls and their possible sexual assault outraged the community. In 2001, two teenagers were assaulted in broad daylight at the mall and hospitalized.
