Kingston Police announce nine arrests after west-end bus shelter attack

After confirming the conclusion of their investigation into the unprovoked group assault on a single person who was waiting at a bus shelter, Kingston Police have announced that nine individuals have been arrested and charged as a result.

The serious assault, which occurred at the Kingston Transit bus transfer station outside of the Cataraqui Centre, occurred on Friday, Mar. 10, 2023, and led to police requesting the public assist with information and help identifying individuals involved.

“Kingston Police would like to sincerely thank members of the community and witnesses who stepped forward to provide valuable information to the investigative team,” police said in a press release on Monday, Mar. 20, 2023.

“We are proud to announce that in total nine individuals have been charged by detectives in relation to this incident.”

While a vast majority of those arrested were youths who can therefore not be identified due to provisions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, one of the accused has been charged as an adult, according to Kingston Police.

Seth Snyder-Stokes, 18, was charged with:

• Assault with a weapon
• Wearing a disguise with the intent to commit and indictable offence
• Assault
• Failure to comply with a previous release order prohibiting him from being on the property at 945 Gardiners Road (the Cataraqui Centre)

Eight young offenders, ranging in age from 13 to 17, were each charged with assault, police said, and some of them were additionally charged with assault with a weapon, and wearing a disguise with the intent to commit an indictable offence. One of the youths was additionally charged with failing to comply with a Youth Probation Order condition that prohibited him from being on the property of the Cataraqui Centre, and was remanded into custody. The seven other youths were released on undertakings with conditions and future court dates.

Adding to the heinousness of the attack, the victim was mistaken by those who attacked for someone else, and was not the intended target of the violence, police confirmed.

“Kingston Police can confirm that the victim, in this incident, was attacked under the belief that he was involved in a previous altercation with some of the accused parties. The investigation confirmed that the victim had no previous dealings or affiliations with any of the accused parties, and that he was mistakenly identified as such,” they said.

“Kingston Police would like the public to be made aware that assaults on any member of our community will be taken seriously and will be treated as a top priority.”