Parents are banding together and calling for change after yet another incident of targeted youth violence has caused serious harm to a teenager in Kelowna.
The formation of a group called 'Justice for Youth Kelowna' was prompted by the violent attack of a 13 year-old-girl at Gyro Beach. The young woman, who now has a concussion and significant injuries was beaten and filmed by a group of teenagers on Sept. 27. The young woman's name will be kept anonymous to protect her identity and be referred to as Jane Doe in this article.
In a statement following the Gyro Beach assault, the RCMP said it was just one of several recent incidents of “social disorder and youth committing criminal offences.”
The RCMP also confirmed that there were several other incidents of violence across the city on the same evening but did not provide further details.
A video of Friday's incident was sent to Black Press but it will not be published due to the extreme violence portrayed and the age of those involved.
In the video, a group of approximately 20 young men and women can be seen gathered in a group, many of them with their phones drawn to record an altercation unfolding between Doe and another teenage girl. The nature of the altercation is unknown to Black Press.
The 13-year-old is then punched and thrown to the ground where multiple individuals take turns punching, kicking, pulling hair and throwing dirt in her face. Doe does not appear to fight back and instead attempts to cover her face from blows.
After nearly one full minute of assault, a young man can be seen attempting to stop the group from harming Doe.
Then, as Doe attempts to sit up she is kicked in the face and goes limp as she is knocked out.
The video ends when Doe appears to be unconscious and unresponsive. She can be seen lying face-down in the dirt while members of the group yell insults and pile dirt on her head.
Doe sustained multiple injuries, including a concussion, said Jacqueline Best, a mother of five and a family friend of the young woman who was attacked.
Best is speaking out because she knows what it feels like to hold your child after a group assault, and wants to see change in Kelowna.
Best's daughter was the victim of a similar incident last year. Additionally, there have been multiple other cases of violence among teenagers have been reported in Kelowna over the past year.
After watching the video, Best's daughter confirmed that at least three of the same teens involved in this most recent incident at Gyro Beach also assaulted her.
Best's daughter claims to have been invited to what she thought was a party. Instead, she was beaten at a bus stop by a group of teenagers. Multiple police officers and an ambulance attended the assault and Best and her daughter are both still working through the trauma of the incident.
After the incident, Best filed a police report and attempted to press charges but found difficulty in seeking justice through the judicial system as all of those involved were minors. She said her daughter continues to be cyberbullied but there is little the police or legal system can do to stop the online harassment.
In the majority of cases, cyberbullying over social media like Snapchat does not meet the threshold to be considered a crime such as harassment under the Criminal Code of Canada.
"I've had enough," said Best.
"Someone is going to die."
She is now banding together with other concerned parents to call for change and accountability.
Best created a Facebook page called Justice for Youth Kelowna where she hopes parents and concerned community members can come together to share their stories, support each other and advocate for change.
People who would like to remain publicly anonymous can email Best at Justiceforteenskelowna@gmail.com rather than posting on the Facebook Page.
Best wants to spark a change in the legal system regarding youth violence and cyberbullying. She also hopes to see the creation of an Okanagan-based rehabilitation centre with mental health supports for teenagers and children experiencing behavioural issues. Lastly, she wants to see more accountability from the parents of teens who are bullies and are repeatedly violent.
"It is only going to change with numbers coming together," said Best.
Kelowna RCMP said its investigation into the Gyro Beach incident is ongoing and sensitive in nature.
Police are reviewing video of the incident to identify those involved in the assault and witnesses. Anyone who witnessed the attack, and has yet to speak with police, is asked to call RCMP at 250-762-3300 and reference file number 2024-57168.
