12-Year-Olds Charged After Woman Beaten Unconscious at Public Transit Station

An Edmonton Police Service vehicle in Edmonton, Alta., on Aug. 1, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Jason Franson)

Two 12-year-old girls have been charged after what police describe as a “violent assault” left a woman unconscious at an Edmonton train station.

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) said the incident occurred on Nov. 26 at about 8:30 p.m. at the Coliseum LRT station.

“It was reported to police that a 55-year-old woman was sitting on a bench waiting for the LRT when she was approached by two female youth who began berating her, subsequently assaulted her to the point of unconsciousness,” said an EPS media release issued on Dec. 4 seeking witnesses.

The girls ran from the area but were located by police a short distance away, according to the release. They have both been charged with aggravated assault.

The news release said the woman is in critical condition and “remains in hospital with significant head and facial injuries.”

“We understand there were witnesses on the platform at the time of the assault who we are looking to speak with,” says Staff Sgt. Ian Brooks with the EPS’s Downtown Investigative Response Team. “We encourage those witnesses to contact police at their earliest convenience.”

Violent Crimes by Youth on the Rise

The number of violent crimes committed by youth under 18 has been increasing, according to Statistics Canada.

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Researchers found that in 2022, 90 murders were committed by youths, compared with 33 the year before and the 10-year average of 39, according to Statistics Canada.

The report also noted that crimes involving more than one youth are on the rise.

“In 2022, police reported 19 incidents with two or more youths accused of homicide, compared with an average of five incidents in the previous 10 years,” the report authors said. “There were seven incidents with three or more youths accused of homicide in 2022, compared with an average of one incident in the previous 10 years.”

Across Canada, there has been a rise in “swarming” attacks, which is when a group of people work together “as a singular entity in a swarming mob mentality,” Toronto Police Homicide Det.-Sgt. Terry Browne previously explained.

In Toronto, four 13-year-old boys were charged with assault after public transit employees were attacked. The Toronto Transit Commission said the incident started inside a bus in Scarborough, Ontario.

Marnie Cathcart contributed to this report.