Police identify 16-year-old boy as victim of fatal, ‘unprovoked’ stabbing at Keele subway station | CBC News

Toronto police identified a 16-year-old boy as the victim of an “unprovoked” stabbing at a subway station Saturday evening.

In a news release Sunday, police said officers responded to a stabbing call at the TTC’s Keele subway station just before 9 p.m.

Gabriel Magalhaes of Toronto was sitting on a bench in the lower level of the station when he was approached by a man, the release said.

“The suspect approached the victim and stabbed him, unprovoked,” police wrote.

Magalhaes was transported to hospital, where he later died from his injuries, police said.

A 22-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested in connection with the stabbing, police said. 

He was charged with first-degree murder and set to appear in court Sunday.

Magalhaes’ death is the latest instance in a string of high-profile cases of violence on the TTC. His death marks the 12th homicide this year.

Keele subway station was closed for an investigation but reopened for service Sunday morning.

Toronto police announced in mid-March that they were ending extra patrols on city transit that had been introduced to respond to the rise in violence.

Police had announced in late January that more than 80 officers working overtime shifts would patrol various locations on the TTC.