Toronto Police Arrest Girl, 14, After Firework Set Off on Bus During Rush Hour

People ride on a shuttle bus outside a west-end Toronto subway stop after subway service was closed during the morning commute on April 5, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy)

Toronto Police Service (TPS) has announced the arrest of a 14-year-old girl for allegedly setting off a firework while on a public bus that was full of commuters during late afternoon rush hour.

A TPS news release on May 31 said the youth was allegedly a passenger of a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus near Kingston Road and Guildwood Parkway, on May 30, at approximately 4:00 p.m. local time.

According to police the girl “set off a firework while inside the bus which was at full capacity.” The police said there were no reports of injuries.

The girl has been arrested and charged with mischief endangering life and is scheduled to make an appearance on July 14 at 9 a.m. at the Ontario Court of Justice. The charges have not been proven in court.

A video of the event was published on social media, and TTC told CityNews on May 31 that they have an ongoing investigation underway.

“Needless to say, deliberately setting off fireworks on public transit is the height of irresponsible behaviour,” said the TTC.

The 22-second video circulating on social media, which The Epoch Times cannot publish because it clearly displays the suspect’s face at the start of the video, shows a female youth holding fireworks in her hand.

Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the suspect’s name cannot be published. Information that could identify her, such as a photo, is also not permitted to be published under the act.

The teenager on video appears to be smiling as she lights the firework. Another female youth is standing just behind her, filming, also appearing to smile. A few people can be heard cheering her on, while other passengers scream and yell “no!”

She lights the firework, pointing it towards the back of the bus. It goes off, filling the bus with smoke. Many people on the bus duck, cover their head and ears, and try to move further to the back. There are shouts of profanity, with one passenger calling the youth an “idiot,” with expletives.

The bus stops, and passengers are seen trying to exit through the vehicle’s side door.

This is not the first incident, according to TTC. “We’ve just learned of two more cases of people being reckless with fireworks on TTC vehicles today,” the transit commission said in the early morning hours of May 31.

“That’s seven incidents in nine days. Thankfully no injuries. Reminder: these are illegal acts and we have video,” said TTC in a post on Twitter on May 31. It warned that all incidents will be investigated and prosecuted.