16-year-old gunned down in doorway of his home

A young 16-year-old boy, named Keyon Cambell was gunned-down at his doorway as he went to warm up his mom’s car. As Keyon Cambell opened the door, he was shot, and Keyon stumbled back inside and collapsed in the hallway around 1:20 a.m. yesterday. This incident took place at a townhouse complex on Empringham Dr. in the Morningside and Sheppard Aves. area. As Keyon’s mother and aunt rushed to the door to attempt CPR until the ambulance arrived. Shortly after taken to the hospital, Keyon was pronounced dead. Just a year ago, Campbell was featured in the documentary EMPz for Life, which was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival. Campbell is the 80th homicide in Toronto and half of the 80 homicides was a shooting death. Toronto is on track to break the 1991 record of 89 homicides in a year. Det. Hank Idsinga explained to the media that “Keyon Campbell was a young, 16-year-old boy, a bright student, employed, and an avid basketball player.” As police spent the whole day yesterday looking for evidence, they found that the shots appear to have been fired from a northerly direction. Tracks left in the snow indicate the suspect initially fled the scene on foot. Everyone around the neighborhood commented that Keyon was a good guy, he never caused any trouble, even though police knew Keyon, but it’s not because he had done crime, it’s just because he lives around the neighborhood.
I think this is horrifying news to everyone that lives in Toronto, even in Ontario. This scary incident tells us the dangerous society that we live in. A young 16-year-old boy was shot while walking out of the door; this scars me because now, every time I open my door, I am thinking, it could be my last. We’ve got to understand that this incident happened in Toronto, one of the wealthiest and safest cities in the world, and 80 homicide had happened in this year. This is a very important issue, young, innocent kids who has a bright future are being killed. Local police must pay more attention about what goes on in the streets; cop cars should roam around neighborhoods frequently to try to reduce the number of homicides that happen each year. If the other 79 homicides didn’t bring attention to the local governments, then I hope this is a wake up call to local governments that they must change the rules and pay more attention to neighborhoods.

Kids' Christmas party funds stolen

Yesterday morning, at 7:08 A.M, there was a robbery at Hunter's Horn Pub and Restaurant in Whitby. For the last few months, everyone that ate at the pub had donated money towards the salvation army to help kids and families to have a Christmas party and receive presents. The party is scheduled at 11 A.M on December 16th. The community had gathered nearly $8,000, plus another $2000 collected from two golf tournaments in pennies, dimes and nickels so that the restaurant could host its second annual Christmas party for needy children in the area. Last night, when the burglar broke into the store, the thieve(s) stole a large 5-gallon water container nearly full of cash donations. The store owner, Cindy Bawdick and Thomas Picco received a call from the police at 7:08 A.M yesterday. Police told the store owners that it was a planned robbery, the thieves came in from the side door of the restaurant, which faced one of the busiest streets of the city. The 5-gallon water container was attached to a pillar with a bicycle lock. The Dec. 16 party will go ahead for 32 needy kids from 3 to 13, on a list supplied by the Salvation Army. The children were invited with their families. Picco and his wife Cindy is committed to the cause, there is no way that they are going to cancel the event. Picco explained, “He didn't break my window. He tried to break the hearts of the kids who need our attention." Upon hearing the bad news, customers at the pub had already started to donate again, but it will be tough to re-raise $10,000 in two weeks. However, Picco and Cindy is dedicated to hosting this party of the kids in need.
I think this thieve is very inconsiderate and selfish. Stealing money which had been donated to innocent kids for Christmas is just gutless. This news just tells us about the world we live in, we live in a very nasty, selfish and greedy world, where no-one pays attention to anything that is happening around them. I hope the police will do everything in their power to catch this thieve and return the donated money to Picco for him to throw the kids a Christmas party and give out presents. This issue warns us that we must start to care about everything around us, we must not just let things slip by us and not do anything about it.

Boys, 8 and 9, charged with rape

An alleged attack on a 11 years old girl that happened on last Thursday was reported by the mother yesterday. Two boys, ages 8 and 9 were held today in a detention centre on charges of kidnapping and raping an 11-year-old girl near a suburban apartment complex. Furthur more, Acworth police Capt. Wayne Dennard told the reporters that the two kids are also charged with rape, kidnapping, false imprisonment and sexual assault. They are schedualed for juvenile court this afternoon, and the police aren't willing to release the name of these two because of their age. Not only did they rape the girl, one boy also threatened to hit the girl with a rock. Though the boys are being charged; however, the farther of the 8 year old boy believe that his son was falsely accused and had not had sex with the girl. He said, and I quote, "In order to save her hide, she tried to blame it on rape." The farther believe that no violence had occoured and the farther believe that the kids were all playing together, biking or throwing balls around the apartment complex's parking lot. Everyone was surprised to hear this because the people involved are at such a young age, espicially the Acworth police. They said their department has never before investigated allegations of rape where all the parties were this young. This investigation is far from over, police will continue to investigate further into this case.
I tink this is a very serious issue that should be brought to our attention. I feel that the parents aren't careful enough with watching over thier child, allowing them to experience with the world when they don't even the the sense to understand what is right and what is wrong. When kids are exposed to the media such as music videos and violent movies, they develope a mind of violence, and they begin to think it is right to hurt others. This leads to rape, murder and violence within the young community. I think this inncident should really be a wake up for all the parents out there, to be responsible for their child, and if they see the child walking on the wrong track, they should do everything in their power to bring them back on to the right track. I think this will be able to control the amount of criminal offences that occured in young people and this will also bring safety to others around the child

Police kill unarmed man who was holding hairbrush

Last night in New York, an officer shot and killed an 18-year-old man who was believed to be armed. Today, follownig an investigation, it was found that the man was only carrying a hairbrush. This man’s name was Khiel Coppin and he was a son of a mother who called 911 following the shot. Police confirmed that Coppin was was yelling “I’ve got a gun, I’ve got a gun”. The incident happened after officers had arrived at the mother’s apartment, and when the teen refused to stop as he approched the police with a black object in his hand hidden under his shirt, the cops then fired 20 shots at the teen, killing him. Andre Wildman, who is a neighbor told the reportersm, and I qoute "The boy didn't have no gun, he had a brush on him”. Other neighbours such as Wayne Holder, suggest that police should be required to see a weapon before opening fire on a suspect. Neighbours commented on the shooting by saying “Police don’t even have to see it, if they think you got a weapon, you’re going to get shot”. When Coppion arrived at hospital, he was pronouce dead. There will be a full police investigation wheather Coppin was mentally illed or wheather his mom have tried hospitalizing Coppin before Monday. It seems there are two completely different stories about the shooting. Bystanders all agree that police started shooting Coppin because they wanted to. But, on the other hand, police told reporters that they were threaten with a man carrying a dangerous weapon.
I think this is a very serious issue, police are shooting citizens who aren’t harmful. I don’t think police had any right to open fire at this young man, he was carrying a hairbrush, that doesn’t even come close to be seen as a “dangerous” weapon. I personally think that police are just using this as an excuse for the shooting. If our justice system and people that uphold our justice system are liars and dangerous people themesevlesm, then we are facing a very serious problem. Police must be 100% sure that the man was carrying a weapon before open firing because it’s just unfair to the young man, the police basically committed mudering because they had killed a innocent citizen.

Charities organization needs a new image

Imagine Canada, one of the oldest and biggest charity groups in Canada has been around for a long time, however, the general public isn't recognizing the charity group for its efforts with sophisticated philosophizing, conferences and etc. This is because this group isn't making themselves visible for the public to see and notice, this is why a new image was called on, on October 22nd, within the Imagine Canada Charity organization to advance it's mission which is to promote public giving and volunteer contribution ... to the community". The organization propose that Imagine Canada should change it's name into something less esoteric and academic, such as the Bureau of Certified Charities. It also suggest to issue a "Seal of Certification". This means that donators can ask a charity for its "BCC Seal registration number" when considering of donating which also draws attention in the eyes of the public. I think putting a new image over the organization will definitely help to improve advertisement of the organization and improve the recongnization of the general public. This will help to increase donations from a wide-range of donators and also, with the Seal of Certification, it will benefit the organization as well as the donators, therefore, attracting more donators to donate for Imagine Canada. I have strong beliefs that Imagine Canada will quickly be recognized in the eyes of the public after the new image is put in!

Pakistan turmoil may raise risks of Canada's Afghan mission: MacKay

Defence minister for Canada, Peter MacKay told reporters that the growing uncertainty in Pakistan can send refugees into Afghanistan, which therefore, increasing the risk of facing Canadian Soldiers. MacKay criticized Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's proclamation of a state of emergency rule and suspension of the country's constitution on Saturday. However, Musharraf retaliated by saying that the action was taken to curb extremism. MacKay told reporters on Saturday and I quote, “We see this very much as a step in the wrong direction, and We certainly condemn the move away from the democratic principles, respect for rule of law."Since the release of this new law on Saturday, 1,500 people have been arrersted in Pakistan, including opposition leaders and activists. 350 of the 1500 people were lawyers arrested while protesting Musharraf's actions at courts across the country Monday morning. Peter MacKay told reporters that significant turmoil in Pakistan could cause a flood of unemployed, angry people returning to their homeland where these people would become prey for Taliban recruiters. The thing that MacKay is currently most worried about is the number of recruits Tabliban can draw from the refugee camps just inside the border of Pakistan. Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier has sent a "strong statement" to Pakistan, so has the U.S and Britain and other Western countries.
I think the President Musharraf’s decision on a state of emergency rule and the suspoension of the country’s constitution is a amature decision which has not been carefully thought about. Placing this rule will ultimatley anger Pakistan citizens who are living in refugee camps just inside the border of Pakistan and these citizens can become easy targets for Tabliban to recruit. This causes problems and brings danger to Canadian soldiers who are patrolling the neighbouring country, Afghnastan. Also, as the world is advancing and changing their government into a democratic government, and the suspend from constitution will be a upset to the economy of the country, as well as to the people of Pakistan. As stats shows, over the period of 3 days, more than 1500 people has retaliated against this rediculious rule, and I hope President Musharraf come to his senses before his government gets over thrown.

Daughters Call 911 On Speeding Dad

On Saturday night, a man named Robert Montoya, who is 52 was arrested for drunk driving with three young passengers trapped in the vehicle, and two of the three passengers were his own children. With desperation and fear in hand, one of the daughter was left with no other choice but to dial 911 for help. Before calling for help, the daughter had said to his dad: "Dad slow down, you're driving 90, Dad slow down, Dad pull over!" When the girls pledged the dad to slow down and pull over, not only did he not stop, he drove even faster. After the arrest, police found out the Montoya had five previous DWI arrests. During custody, he was charged with one more count of DWI and three counts of abandonment or abuse of a child.
I think the daughter had done the right thing, though many other children wouldn't or can't do the same to their dad. I hope this action taken by the girl will be drilled into Montoya's head and make him realize what's important. It's very dangerous to get behind the wheels drunk, it puts other drivers in danger, let alone his children. Though some parents might seem old, but they're still not mature enough to handle the responsibilities of being a parent and knowing what's important. I hope this will be a wake up call for Montoya and for all the other parents in the world who still don't know their priorities.