Police arrest five in kidnapping of 14-year-old
North York teen was taken over stepbrother’s drug debts, police say
Five people have been arrested in connection with the violent March kidnapping of a 14-yearold North York boy, who was on his way to school, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders announced Thursday.
After what Saunders calls an “emotional” investigation by multiple units, including the drug squad and organized crime enforcement, four men, ranging in age from 25 to 38, were arrested Wednesday.
The men face, collectively, 30 charges, including kidnapping for ransom, forcible confinement, uttering threats and arson.
A fifth suspect, initially, remained at large. On Thursday evening, police announced that he had turned himself in.
Before being abducted, the teen was last seen a short distance from his home near Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue at about 8:25 a.m. on March 4.
Police were notified he was missing hours later, and an Amber Alert was issued around midnight.
He was found at a barn near Wanless Drive and Heritage
Road in Brampton just after 11 p.m. on March 5.
The teen, who was found unharmed, “went through a lot of terror,” Saunders said at a news conference Thursday, outside police headquarters.
“I can’t imagine what it would be like to be not just that young boy, but also the family,” he said.
“It had a tremendous amount of impact right across the city. A lot of people had a lot of concern, a lot of worry, including some of the members involved in the investigation.”
Saunders stressed the young boy who was kidnapped is not involved in “any criminality, whatsoever.”
“Our investigation is ongoing,” Saunders said, adding it’s possible there will be other arrests.
“This may not be over. There may be more charges as we continue to drill down and get everybody that’s involved,” he said.
Police said the boy was kidnapped as retribution for his stepbrother’s alleged $4-million drug debt, and that the boy, himself, a Grade 9 student at Newtonbrook Secondary School, has no connection to crime.
Police allege the boy’s stepbrother has since fled the GTA.
In a press release Thursday, police said “at least five men” were involved in the planning and execution of the abduction.
“It was carried out because one of the men had a significant amount of cocaine stolen by the victim’s brother,” Toronto police said.
Four staff members at the North York high school were put on “home assignment,” after the boy’s parents weren’t notified for at least nine hours after he failed to show up at school.
Toronto District School Board spokesperson Ryan Bird told the Star on Thursday that all four teachers have since returned to their positions.
The four men who were arrested on Wednesday are Scott McManus, 37, of Toronto, Samir Abdelgadir, 38, of Mississauga, Liban Hussein, 25, of Toronto, and Hamed Shahnawaz, 30, of Brampton.
The fifth suspect, who turned himself in, Solaiman Nassimi, 29, faces charges of kidnapping for ransom, forcible confinement and break and enter. During the execution of the search warrants, police also arrested Jeremy Proctor, 25, of Toronto, who is facing multiple charges including drug possession.
Saunders said police also seized one kilogram of cocaine, more than 70 pounds of marijuana, around $130,000 in cash, as well as body armour.