Brother-in-law of man allegedly swarmed by teens says family reeling from loss

The brother-in-law of a homeless Toronto man who died after police allege he was attacked by a group of teen girls says his entire family is reeling from the loss.

Eric Shum read a victim impact statement today at a sentencing hearing for one of the girls accused in the death of Kenneth Lee.

Shum also teared up reading statements written by his wife Helen Shum, Lee’s sister, as well as Angela Chopp, Lee’s cousin.

Police have alleged that Lee, who was living in the city’s shelter system, died after he was swarmed and stabbed by a group of girls in December 2022.

Eight girls, all of them between the ages of 13 and 16, were arrested shortly afterward.

Four girls have pleaded guilty in the case in Ontario Court over the last few months – three to manslaughter and one to assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon.

Friday’s sentencing hearing was for one of the girls who pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

The remaining four teens are set to stand trial in Superior Court next year, two of them in January and two in May. Three are charged with second-degree murder and one with manslaughter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2024.