Toronto is grieving after an eight-year-old boy was killed by a stray bullet while asleep in his own bed over the weekend, sparking a call for action against gun violence in the city.
The shooting happened just before 12:30 a.m. on August 16 outside an apartment building near Martha Eaton Way and Trethewey Drive in North York. A bullet tore through a first-floor window and fatally struck the child. He was rushed to hospital but unfortunately did not survive.
Police have identified the victim as JahVai Roy. According to his mother, who shared her grief on social media, JahVai had been sleeping beside her moments before the gunfire erupted. The suspects fled the scene, and an investigation is ongoing.
For many, JahVai’s death is more than a tragedy; it’s a devastating reflection of the toll gun violence continues to take on Toronto’s youth.
Marcell Wilson, founder of the One By One Movement (OBOM)—a think tank made up of former gang members and individuals leaving lives of crime, described JahVai as an integral part of their mission.
“JahVai Roy was a special young man who carried a lot of energy and love in his heart,” Wilson said.
JahVai had been one of the youngest members of OBOM’s Child and Youth Council, helping shape anti-bullying initiatives and working on projects that aimed to protect other kids from negative influences.
“He was the epitome of what we were trying to accomplish,” Wilson said. “We had high hopes for him.”
Wilson, who has been in close contact with the family, said JahVai’s mother has only one wish: “For his name to be meaningful and remembered.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow also expressed her grief online, writing:
“I share in the anger and pain of this loss. The reckless and violent acts of a few hurt entire communities and leave tragedy in their wake.”
A vigil for JahVai is scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m. in front of the building at 15 Martha Eaton Way. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe to support the Roy family has raised over $69,000 as of publication.