Gun and gang violence in Toronto was a hot topic even back in 1994

Barry Artiste Op/Ed

The Grieving family says it all, the Murderer (s) most likely will spend two years in jail. One would hope a wake up call is in order when previous deterrents are not working, and the Conservative Crime Bill if it had been enforced may have prevented this tragic scenario. Why?

Because as in most Gang and Guns violence, many times this is not the first time the murderer has had a run in with the law, and maybe time in prison may have been a lesson.

Who knows, but one thing that may be certain NDP, Liberals historically Soft on Crime will be giving this families home a wide berth come electioneering in this troubled neighbourhood.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2008/10/05/6985396-sun.html

Parents lose son to trigger-happy petty thief

By TAMARA CHERRY, SUN MEDIA

Davorin and Vesna Cikovic may as well have been hit by the same bullet that killed their son -- after all, they said yesterday, their lives ended with his.

Boris Cikovic, 17, was gunned down in a seemingly senseless act of violence Friday night.

And for what? A $2 bag and a T-shirt. Cikovic, a bright student and avid athlete at Scarlett Heights Entrepreneurial Academy, was hanging out with a group of friends in Buttonwood Park, near Royal York Rd. and Eglinton Ave. When they were approached by thugs around 10:30 p.m.

The thugs demanded whatever the teens had. Boris handed over a cheap bag his mom had given him. Inside it was the T-shirt.

He wasn't the kind of guy to think one of those thugs might have a gun, his parents said. When he tried to get his bag back, one of them shot him in the chest. "He eventually passed away in the hospital," his mother said. "But he basically passed away in the hands of his best friend. 'Please wake up, man. Please wake up.' "