Residents in Kelowna are still trying to understand the situation that led to a 13-year-old girl being swarmed at Gyro Beach on Sept. 27.
The altercation was caught on video showing the victim being hit and kicked by other youth before she is seen lying still on the ground while another teen allegedly buried the girl's head in the sand.
Mayor Tom Dyas issued a statement on Oct. 9.
The recent incident involving the assault of a 13-year-old has greatly affected our community. As a father, I can only imagine the pain and distress that the victim and her family are feeling at this time.
I do not condone violence of any kind, and it is important to remember that this is an ongoing investigation that is being handled by the Kelowna RCMP. As soon as I was made aware of the situation, I connected with Senior City Staff and with the RCMP Superintendent to ensure that this would be prioritized and to facilitate a rapid response.
With that in mind, it is crucial that the process be respected and allowed to unfold. My ability to comment on an open investigation is limited; however, I am still in direct contact with the RCMP Superintendent and continue to be made aware of the ongoing investigation.
I have been in contact with the victim’s father at City Hall last week and have reached out to the victim’s mother directly to offer my support in any way I can.
At this point, I have received individual pieces of correspondence from concerned parents, to which I have responded. This is the first I am hearing about an open letter from the Justice for Teens group and my office has not received any communication from them to date.
Council is aware of the broader impacts that bullying and teen violence can bring to the community and is working with senior levels of government to address this with early intervention. Through the Federal Building Safer Communities Fund, the City is working in partnership with the Central Okanagan Public Schools to undertake a youth gang and gun violence program known as Honouring Resiliency in Vulnerable Youth (HRVY).
The community-based initiative for early intervention and crime prevention is committed to creating inclusive, engaging, and impactful programs through wrap-around supports and services.
On top of this, eight of the 30 actions in the Community Safety Plan are directly tied to supporting children, youth and families. The Plan brings together community organizations and government agencies to coordinate the delivery of programs. City staff also lead the weekly Kelowna Outreach and Support Table (KOaST) which brings front line staff from public safety, health and social services together to rapidly connect to help vulnerable people, including youth.
This incident has brought to light the gaps in the current Criminal code, and Council is in the midst of advocating for changes and reforms – specifically around bail reform for repeat property crime offenders. We realize that there are currently no provisions in the current legislation for cyberbullying and are committed to advocating for those amendments as well. It is important to remember that the Federal government is the body responsible for enacting this kind of change.
The video that was circulating was shocking and unacceptable. It is my understanding that both the victim and RCMP have asked the public to stop circulating the footage and I ask that everyone abide as the video’s recirculation is traumatic to all involved.
There are more than 24,000 students in School District 23 with so much positive experiences to celebrate including over 7,000 youth enrolled in soccer leagues, 1,200 registered for minor league hockey, and annual achievements made by outstanding youth in our city at every year’s Civic and Community Awards. It saddens us all to see this vibrant community overshadowed by tragic incidents like this and we strive, collectively, to ensure that it doesn’t occur again. In reality, we recognize that this is a small group of individuals in our community that is regularly involved with our police and bylaw services.
For this Council, community safety for all of Kelowna’s residents, especially our young ones, remains a top priority.
Kelowna RCMP arrested five youth in the days after the attack. All suspects were released with strict conditions.
Parents are stepping up to push for change in the community. Jacqueline Best has started a petition on Oct. 2 to amend the 2019 Provincial Criminal Youth Justice Act for Enhanced Rehabilitation and Accountability.
