A man is in custody and facing three attempted murder charges after an unprovoked attack on a group of teenagers at a subway station yesterday left two youths on the tracks, in the path of an oncoming train.
Five boys, all aged 15 and 14, were on the platform at Dufferin station when a man approached them - apparently without provocation - and shoved three of them, sending two off the ledge at 4:50 p.m. The suspect was known to police, Toronto Police Constable Tony Vella said.
"We're still trying to figure out exactly what the motive was," he said.
The two boys, 14 and 15, were left on track level, about a third of the way into the station as an eastbound train pulled in.
The driver of the approaching train saw them and hit the brakes, TTC spokesman Brad Ross said. As the heavy train slowed, the 14-year-old boy rolled out of the way, under the platform, and pulled the older boy back with him as the train bore down. Neither touched the electrified bar.
The second boy was partially struck, his left foot trapped under the second car of the train by the time it ground to a halt.
Their three friends were left on the platform, as the man started to flee.
The injured boys were shaken up and taken to the Hospital for Sick Children. The trapped one is expected to lose some toes, but they're both expected to recover.
"It's an incredible trauma to suffer to be pushed in front of a train like that and we're extremely grateful they were not killed," Mr. Ross said. "I can't imagine what they must be going through."
As passersby tried to help the two trapped boys, the three other teens chased the suspect. A TTC collector tried to stop him but the man pushed him away and ran outside. Soon afterward he was tackled by the TTC collector with the help of another witness, and held until police arrived.
The man under arrest fought back and will now face assault charges for his actions against the TTC collector and the good Samaritan.
"It could have been much worse, but fortunately, it wasn't," Constable Vella said.
The three boys who were not trapped ran back to the platform after pointing out the fleeing suspect. One teen pushed an emergency button to kill power to the train, while the other two hushed the crowd to make sure their friends were okay and could hear them.
"All working together," Constable Vella said. "It was great thinking."
It's not thought the assailant knew the teens. "I highly doubt [the boys]knew him. ... I would be flabbergasted," said Staff Sergeant John Dubreuil of 14 Division.
He praised the five teenagers.
"These kids are absolutely brilliant," he said. "For 14 years old, I'm very impressed."
Adenir DeOliveira, 47, of Toronto, will appear in court at Old City Hall today to face the five charges.