Toronto stabbings up by 36 per cent, CBC finds

Police data show 599 stabbings in 2013 and 815 in 2014

If you have ever wondered why it is such a big deal to be caught carrying a sharp object on an airplane, another reason can be added to the list now.

According to a recent article by CBC, the number of stabbings in Toronto increased in 2014 by 36 per cent from the previous year.

In 2013, Toronto had 599 stabbings and in 2014 it had 815, according to data from the Toronto Police Service retrieved by CBC under the Freedom of Information Act.

Some people took to social media to express their thoughts on the new information.

Donald B. Johnston, who works at Aird & Berlis law firm, tweeted, “We definitely need a Long Knife Registry.”

He said this was a sarcastic tweet, because tracking and keeping a list of all those who own knives would be impossible.

“I don’t think there is anything that can be done in the short run to decrease the amount of crime that uses weapons of any kind,” Johnston said. “Someone’s always going to find a way to pull it off.”

There is no pattern or consistent reason for these stabbings. However, compared to how hard it is to obtain a gun, getting a knife is much easier.

“It’s hazardous to generalize why people commit crimes, or how they commit them,” Johnston said.

About this article

By: Nazaneen Baqizada
Posted: Jan 31 2015 3:04 pm
Edition:
Filed under: News
Topics: