Fleeing Ghanaian Youth Fall To Death In Toronto

A 15-year-old trespasser was apparently trying to evade capture when he fell to his death from a 14th floor balcony in Etobicoke, officers said today.

Police believe the boy was attempting to climb from one balcony to another last night as police arrived.

A woman had called police, concerned someone had broken into her apartment, unit 1413. Inside, the interlopers may have heard people trying to enter and apparently tried to escape off the balcony, Staff Sgt. David Gillis said.

“Some made it. An unfortunate fella didn’t make it,” he said, adding it is unclear whether the intruders knew police were outside.

The other intruders used the balcony to get to a neighbouring unit, where they awoke a 55-year-old woman.

“I jumped out from my bed. I didn’t know they were in the apartment,” she said. She emerged from her bedroom and saw four or five people running out her front door.

“I started screaming,” she said, her voice still hoarse.

She saw police chase them down the hall; one officer returned to tell her that everything was all right.

Today, unit 1413 was empty except for scribbled graffiti on the wall, drink cans and bottles in the sink and empty McDonald’s food bags on the kitchen counter. The resident who called police had not been living in the unit. “I’m not safe,”said the 55-year-old neighbour, who did not want her name published. “How do you think I can sleep?”

“Don’t worry. They are not coming again,” another tenant, Nana, 53, told her. “I will come and stay with you.”

Nana, 53, who has lived in the 15-storey Toronto Community Housing building for 18 years, said she heard thunderous footsteps and screaming last night. She looked over her balcony and saw a male’s body lying on the concrete in front of the entrance.

Goodnews Osunde, a 38-year-old resident on the 12th floor where police also investigated, said she heard “running all over” last night. “But it’s normal in this building,” she added.

Police have informed family members of the youth’s death but his name will not be released to the public. An autopsy was scheduled for today.

In his career, Staff Sgt. Gillis said he has seen similar falls at least six other times: “People get scared, especially if they’re young.”

Surveillance videos from the building have been provided to investigators, said Jeffrey Ferrier, a spokesman for Toronto Community Housing Corp. He added that the building is in the midst of improving its security by installing a remote keyless entry system for the front door.

Tenants in the building say that there have been a number of break-ins. Ms. Osunde said she sometimes feels wary raising a 12-year-old son in the community.

“He’s a good kid but seeing all [these] things around?” “It’s so sad,” she said, referring to the youth who fell. “I don’t understand how people waste their lives.”

The province's Special Investigations Unit, which looks into cases of injury or death involving police, is not involved in this incident.