The unprovoked beating of a 13-year-old girl, which was egged on and video recorded by other teens, is evidence of society’s shifting moral compass, a city police spokesperson says.
A 15-year-old girl was arrested Tuesday after the probe into the beating, which took place at a parking lot near the Dollarama store at Madison Street and Ness Avenue on April 17 around 5:15 p.m.
Witnesses had reported a teen was being punched and kicked as others cheered on the assault and recorded it on their phones. The youngster became unconscious during the assault.
“Not only was this a senseless, extremely violent, apparently unprovoked incident, but then you have a group of onlookers that are not only just ignoring it, but they’re actively participating,” Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said. “This is a matter of complete instigation and perpetuation of the assault.”
She said she wasn’t sure whether police had identified the three to five youths who encouraged the beating.
The group had stolen the victim’s backpack before fleeing, police said. Videos of the assault were posted to social media.
“I think our moral compass has completely shifted… it’s completely immoral,” said McKinnon.
“In many situations, parents and schools have lost control and many youths have unfettered access to the internet, and with that… they’re not understanding the consequences or ripple effect it has in continually posting daily occurrences, whether they’re criminal or not criminal.”
She said adults and young people have posted video of criminal activity to the web.
The victim, who had serious head injuries, was taken to hospital in unstable condition.
She was later upgraded to stable condition, police said.
“She was physically quite injured as well as emotionally, perhaps, not prepared to speak in detail about this (shortly after the assault),” said McKinnon.
Police learned the victim and suspect knew each other and had been in the area together when the beating began.
“I believe they may have been at the mall before,” said McKinnon. “They were certainly together.”
McKinnon said she did not know the precise relationship or whether there had been animosity between the two that had precipitated the unprovoked assault.
Officers arrested the suspect at a home on the 700 block of Machray Avenue on Tuesday. The 15-year-old is charged with aggravated assault and robbery and remains in custody.
Winnipeg Police Service statistics indicate reported youth crimes steadily declined from 2017 to 2021, but increased in 2022 — 1,664 crimes, up from 1,160 one year earlier.
Statistics for 2023 are not yet publicly available.
Justice officials and people who work with vulnerable youngsters have raised concern about the rate of youth violence in Winnipeg.
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Erik Pindera
Reporter
Erik Pindera reports for the city desk, with a particular focus on crime and justice.
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