An Ontario family is demanding urgent bail reform after their relative was allegedly shot and injured by a 12-year-old boy who, despite facing serious charges, was released on bail twice in just weeks.
York Regional Police say the youth was arrested Tuesday and charged with attempted murder and other offences connected to an August 14 shooting outside a home in Markham, Ontario. Police confirmed the boy had already been out on bail for unrelated violent offences at the time of the incident — and was released again Wednesday after appearing in court on the new charges. Officers are also searching for a second suspect.
The victim, a man in his early 30s, was shot in the leg and is expected to recover physically, but his family says the psychological toll has been severe. “He’s traumatized. He’s paranoid about strangers and unknown cars on the street. He’s in quite a state of shock,” said his uncle, Junaid Razvi. Out of fear for his safety, the family has chosen not to identify him publicly.
Razvi called it “mind-boggling” that someone facing violent charges, let alone a child, could be granted bail so quickly. “For the whole community, to see these kinds of alleged criminals let out so fast is something we can’t fathom,” he said. The family is now urging lawmakers to make legislative changes to prevent repeat offenders from returning to the streets.
The case has amplified a wider debate across Ontario after a series of violent incidents in recent weeks. York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween said violent and repeat offenders must be kept off the streets to maintain public safety and trust, stressing that rehabilitation must also be part of the solution. Premier Doug Ford has been blunt in his criticism of Canada’s bail system, calling it a “disaster” and urging Ottawa to tighten the Criminal Code.
Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged the growing pressure, promising bail reform legislation next month. He said reforms would target organized crime, gun offences, auto theft and violent repeat offenders to prevent criminals from cycling in and out of custody. “They should not be in a position where they commit a crime one day, and are arrested and out on bail the next,” he said Friday in Mississauga.
For Razvi and his family, those reforms can’t come soon enough. “It’s shocking, disturbing to say the least,” he said. “You don’t feel safe anymore.”