Violence plagues Lawrence West

[attach]2973[/attach]Yellow tape. Police cars. Shell casings.

It’s an all too common scene in Lawrence Heights, where yet another surge in gun violence has claimed the life of a 16-year-old boy.
Around 4 p.m. on Nov. 17 Tyrone Bracken, 16, was fatally shot inside 135 Neptune Dr.

The building where he was located is one of three in a community housing complex just southeast of Allen Road and the 401.
Days later, police arrested two teens in connection to the homicide.

Constable Tony Vella said a 16 year old male and a 17 year old male have been arrested and both are being charged with one count of first-degree murder.

Vella said the 16-yearold was arrested on the morning of Nov. 22 and made a court appearance shortly thereafter. The 17 year old was arrested later in the afternoon and was to appear in court Nov. 23.

Due to their age, neither suspect can be publicly identified. At press time, police were still looking for a third suspect.
Bracken’s murder is one of at least seven gun-related incidents in the span of about three months. Some have resulted in woundings, others in arrests but still the violence persists.

David Spiegel, a lifelong resident of the community, said he hears gunshots about once a month on average.

“I’ve heard machine gunfire. It’s all coming from the community housing,” he said, referring to the Toronto Community Housing complex of 135, 145 and 155 Neptune Dr.

“It’s not for me to say, it’s for the government to come up with a solution, but the status quo is obviously not working. A poor 16-year-old kid is now dead.”

Living directly across the street from the latest crime scene, with his balcony facing the side door where Bracken was killed, Spiegel says he now wants to take his wife and two young daughters and move out of the city.

“I’m frustrated more than anything,” he said. “It’s terrible that there’s all this crime and it’s a waste of police resources.”

Spiegel said he’s tried to get in touch with the outgoing rep Howard Moscoe about the ongoing problem, but he hasn’t received any answers.