London boy charged in group assault; motorcyclist dies in rural crash

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One suspect charged, three sought after 13-year-old assaulted

A 16-year-old boy is facing six charges after a group of teenagers assaulted a 13-year-old and witnesses were threatened with a gun in London’s north end, police say.

A group of youths was in the 100 block of Sunningdale Road East just before 10 p.m. Wednesday when they were approached by four male teenagers wearing ski masks, London police say.

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The youths ran from the teens, but a 13-year-old was stopped by the suspects and assaulted, police say. Witnesses saw one suspect produce a gun and strike the victim in the head. Police did not say whether the 13-year-old is a boy or a girl.

When more witnesses arrived, police said, three suspects fled but the teen with the gun stayed behind and removed his mask, pointing the gun at and threatening one witness before also fleeing.

The assaulted teenager had minor injuries. Officers searched the area and were able to identify the gun suspect, whom police say was arrested at his home Thursday. The teen, a minor who cannot be publicly identified under Canada’s youth justice law, is charged with assault with a weapon, two counts of uttering threats, carrying a concealed weapon, use of a firearm during the commission of an indictable offence and possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order.

The accused was expected to appear in a London court Friday .

The other suspects had not been identified, police said, describing all three as males with slim builds and one with black hair, who wore a black T-shirt and black jeans.

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Watchdog clears London officer in knife-wielding teen’s arrest

Ontario’s police watchdog agency has cleared a London police officer of any wrongdoing after a teenager was shot with both a blunt impact launcher and a stun gun.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said officers were called to a domestic disturbance March 27 on Riverside Drive, where a  17-year-old male had reportedly assaulted a family member before leaving the home with a knife. The teenager brandished the knife at officers, feigned that he had a firearm and ignored commands to drop the knife, the SIU said.

An officer shot the teen with two projectiles, after which he lowered himself to the road and dropped the knife. An electronic stun gun was used before he was handcuffed and taken to hospital. He had no serious injuries.

In a news release, the SIU’s director said he’s satisfied that police exercised “reasonable force” in the encounter. “The officers were faced with a significant threat at the time from an individual whom they had reason to believe had just committed an assault against a family member,” Joseph Martino wrote. 

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Ingersoll motorcyclist killed in rural collision near Thamesford

A 20-year-old Ingersoll motorcyclist is dead after a collision in Oxford County, the sixth fatal motorcycle collision in two months in the London area.

Ontario Provincial Police say the motorcycle and a commercial vehicle collided about 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the 19th and 17th lines in Zorra Township, near Thamesford.

In a social media post, OPP Const. Randi Crawford wrote that the motorcyclist died at the collision site. The other driver was not hurt.

Police did not publicly identify the motorcyclist killed and urged motorists to be mindful of their driving habits.

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