'A tragic moment': Community mourns 14-year-old fatally stabbed in Toronto's east end
Boy, 16, charged with 1st-degree murder in Abdoul Aziz Sarr's death
Staff at a community health centre in Scarborough say a 14-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed in the city's east end last weekend was a kind, hardworking teenager who had a bright future ahead of him.
Abdoul Aziz Sarr, of Toronto, was stabbed near a fast food restaurant on Saturday, July 5, in the area of Eastern and Woodward avenues just after 10 p.m. He died in hospital, police said.
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder and was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. Police are continuing to appeal for information from the public connected to the case.
Workers at the TAIBU Community Health Centre say Sarr was a regular volunteer there and frequently participated in their youth programs.
Cherifa Bechekat, a mental health support worker at the centre, said Sarr had taken part in one of her classes the same day he was stabbed.
"I remember that he was kind, he was very educated, and he was listening at my workshop very carefully," she said.
"I'm still shocked, because he was at my workshop the same day, in the morning."
Brahim Ahmat Nokour, project coordinator at TAIBU Community Health Center, said Sarr was well known at the centre because he was registered in many of their programs.
"He's the type of kid that brings joy to other kids," Nokour said.
"It's so devastating that we lost him. It's a tragic moment for the community and for the family as well."
The teen particularly enjoyed helping run basketball tournaments there for the community, Nokour said.
Nokour said Sarr worked hard at those tournaments "to make sure that everything goes well."
"So seeing him dying tragically that way, we weren't expecting it," he said.
"It's a sad day."
Teen's death 'a collective failure': centre
In a statement released Monday, the TAIBU Community Health Centre said Sarr's death feels like "a collective failure."
"It urgently raises profound questions about the safety of our youth, the violence in our neighbourhoods, and the resources available to provide them with tangible, safe, and empowering alternatives," the statement said.
"It painfully reminds us that despite the efforts of many community organizations, the systems meant to protect our children too often fall short."
Police have released few details about the circumstances surrounding Sarr's death.
On Sunday, Det.-Sgt. Alan Bartlett of the Toronto Police Service said the boy was found inside a McDonald's restaurant and that there were "literally hundreds" of people in the area when the incident happened.
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With files from Andréane Williams