12-Year-Old Faces Multiple Charges Including Assault on a Peace Officer and Pointing a Firearm
FORT FRANCES, ON – In the early hours of June 11, 2023, officers from the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to an alarm at a local business in Fort Frances. Upon arrival, police observed a youth, brandishing a weapon towards the officers before retreating further into the premises.
OPP officers quickly entered the business and apprehended the individual. The 12-year-old, who cannot be named in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act, now faces multiple charges under the Criminal Code:
- Break and Enter with the intent to steal a firearm
- Pointing a Firearm
- Assaulting a Peace Officer with a weapon
- Mischief Under $5,000
The young offender has been detained and is due to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Fort Frances on June 12, 2023.
The OPP is calling on anyone with information about this incident to come forward. They can be reached at 1-888-310-1122. Alternatively, those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Potential penalties under the Criminal Code for these charges include serious fines and imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offence and the circumstances of the case. Specifically, offences related to break and enter, pointing a firearm, and assaulting a peace officer with a weapon can carry significant prison terms. The penalty for mischief under $5000 is typically a fine, probation, or potentially a prison term, again depending on the circumstances and the offender’s history.
Please note that the specific penalties for these offences in the context of a youth offender may vary, as the Youth Criminal Justice Act is designed to handle such cases with an emphasis on rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The exact potential penalties couldn’t be found within the allocated time.
