What will it take to put a stop to this?

"What will it take to put a stop to this?"

So goes that wail of a relative of a an 11 year old boy killed by gunfire between rival gangs in Toronto over the weekend.

First things first. The guilty party here is the gunman. A person "known to police".

But, that doesn't answer the question, does it.

I would suggest the following in answer to the question.

1) Rudimentary parenting skills.
What's an 11 year old boy doing outside in that neighborhood at 1:00 am? I don't care whose birthday it is. A parent or guardian's first responsibility is the safety of their kids. A kid in his bed at that time of night is much safer than at a mammoth block party.

2) Rudimentary parenting skills.
OK, the kid's up later than usual for a special occasion. I'm not a fan, but it happens. Your neighborhood backyard birthday party has now been crashed by over 50 "unwelcome and unwanted" party crashers, several of which are know to be connected to local gangs. Do you a) Call the cops, b) Gather up the kids and bring them inside to relative safety? or c) Leave an 11 year old kid in the middle of the crowd, on their own?

Its time parents took more direct responsibility for the safety of their kids.


Do I think that Ephraim's death was his parent's fault? No.

Would rudimentary parenting skills have prevented his death? Absolutely.