NDG mom speaks out after son robbed at knifepoint outside Villa-Maria Metro station

Almost one month since Angela Jaramillo's 16-year-old son was mugged at knifepoint by the Villa-Maria Metro station in Montreal, she says he still feels nervous commuting home after school.

The mother said three teenagers approached her son as he was walking on Monkland Avenue towards the Metro station in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood. Their faces were covered and one of them had a knife, Jaramillo said.

"When they passed, they touched him and told him 'Give us all you have.' He said, 'I have nothing.' Then they took out a hunting knife and told him, 'Give us your phone, your wallet, everything,'" said Jaramillo.

She said she and her family filed a police report and posted about the incident on a Facebook group for people who live in the area. Many responded to her post with similar stories, said Jaramillo.

"Around the area, he feels anxious. After this, he doesn't want to take the Metro, he wants to be picked up," said Jaramillo.

Montreal police confirmed three incidents, all near Villa Maria metro station, have been reported to them since March 9. They say the latest was last Sunday.

One of those events led to the arrest of four minors, according to SPVM spokesperson Const. Véronique Dubuc. They were arrested for committing a robbery similar to that experienced by Jaramillo's son, she said.

So far, police have been unable to make a solid connection between the events, but "maybe in the future we will be able to link them," said Dubuc.

She said she can't provide more information about the suspects because they are underage.

Peter McQueen, a city councillor in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, announced the arrests on an NDG Facebook group where there have been extensive discussions about the muggings and public safety.

He said he has been in contact with police and is very concerned about the situation. But he also doesn't want muggings to deter kids from going out, enjoying themselves and taking public transit.

"Everybody is very aware of the muggings," he said.

"It can be an extremely traumatic event for a teenager and can really alter the mood in a neighbourhood and we want to stop that immediately." 

Jaramillo had reached out to the borough mayor asking to beef up security in the area. She said she wants security cameras set up around the Metro station. 

Meanwhile, her son's school sent an email to parents warning them about similar incidents happening around Metro stations nearby with tips on how to stay safe. 

Those tips include travelling with another person or in a group, walking on lit streets, going directly home and notifying an adult immediately if any incident happens.

"It's very sad to see that we are getting to a point where even schools have to warn you," said Jaramillo. "They are very young kids, they are not supposed to be experiencing this. They are supposed to be safe."