Deadly beating in Vaughan
Well-liked teen kicked and thrashed by up to 6 people during brawl at Woodbridge park
For his loving family 17- year- old Pritpaul Singh Dhanoa was the only son, the future, but yesterday his Vaughan family was struggling with news that he had been beaten to death during a fight.
“ He was liked by everyone, ” said Helen Dhanoa, 27, of her brother who died yesterday after being involved in a Friday night brawl. “ He was well known by people and he got along with everyone,” she said at the family’s home in Woodbridge. The death of the Grade 12 honours student, who attended Woodbridge College with dreams of studying business at University of Western Ontario, has been a crippling blow to the family, she said, rubbing at redrimmed eyes. As she spoke, a steady stream of Punjabi friends and family arrived at the house to offer their condolences — all of them in disbelief that the popular basketball and football player had died of his injuries at St. Michael’s Hospital. Her 16- year- old sister Sandeep stood nearby, also hugging and greeting visitors.
“ He was always so happy ” she said. “ He was really funny and always made people laugh.” The family had been given few details about the events that led up to the deadly dispute, said Helen Dhanoa, adding she had not yet heard from any of the friends who were with her brother Friday night.
York Regional Police said yesterday the teen was with a group of friends in the area of Chancellor and Fiori Drs. when an “ altercation” erupted between two groups of young adults just before 11 p. m. The fight occurred on Chancellor in front of Giovanni Caboto Park, which residents say is a popular hangout for teens after dark. Dhanoa was repeatedly kicked in the head and thrashed with sticks by up to six assailants, police said. Some reports say he was beaten with baseball bats.
Friends of the teen helped him into the back of a car and drove half a kilometre to a plaza at Ansley Grove and Aberdeen Ave., where they contacted police.
Police were called to the park at about 10: 55 p. m. and were responding to a weapons call, according to a media release. They cordoned off the park and part of the street, and remained on the scene canvassing the area and speaking to neighbours until yesterday afternoon. Investigators are looking for a damaged dark-coloured SUV or Jeepstyle vehicle seen in the area around the time of the beating
Shortly after the police tape came down, a small pile of flowers began to form near a stain of blood. A group of young men there who identified themselves as Dhanoa’s friends refused to speak about him or the events of the previous evening.
However, some area residents said yesterday that they have long been concerned about the goings-on at the park and a nearby strip mall, particularly after dark when teenagers congregate there.
“It makes me nervous each time I walk by those kids,” said a woman who lives across the street from where the fight occurred. “They’re always here, you hear them at night,” she said, quickly adding that aside from having the raucous teens it’s a “ great neighbourhood.” The woman, who preferred not to be identified, said she was home when the fight occurred, but added she didn’t hear anything other than the usual Friday night buzz of teenagers making noise in the park.
Another resident said mostly families with children live in the area.
“ There’s usually a lot of kids hanging around,” said the man who identified himself only as Giuseppe. “ But this is a very quiet neighbourhood. Nothing like this has ever happened.
“ It’s sad. At 17 he hadn’t even started his life.” Anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is asked to contact the York Regional Police No. 4 Criminal Investigation Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7441, Crime Stoppers at 1- 800- 222TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.crimestoppersyr. ca.