Toronto peace groups host downtown march against gun violence

Two Toronto peace organizations held a community march against gun violence in the city's downtown core Saturday, following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old earlier this week.

The city's TO Wards Peace Program, which aims to mitigate violence, collaborated with the Peace March Committee to organize the demonstration ahead of the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Murder and Homicide, taking place on Sept. 26.

Holly Roy, whose eight-year-old son was killed by a stray bullet last year, told CBC Toronto she marched with him in years past. What happened is "still unbelievable," she said.

"I really am an advocate for safer communities. I'm always going to be his voice and I'm always going to do this work, especially now," Roy said. "I want to do everything I can to honour him and his name."

On Aug. 16, 2025, Roy was lying in bed with her son, Jahvai Roy, in their North York apartment when gunshots rang outside after midnight. Jahvai sat up in his bed and was struck by a stray bullet. He was rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Police charged three youths with first-degree murder in the following months.

The city's TO Wards Peace Program, which aims to mitigate violence, collaborated with the Peace March Committee to bring the event to life ahead of the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Murder and Homicide, taking place on Sept. 26. (David Hill/CBC)

His grandmother, Vivian Roy, told CBC Toronto Saturday gun violence has deeply impacted their family.

"We're hoping to somehow change and end gun violence, stop the silence. Let's talk about it. Let's get this issue out. Let's do something," she said. "We walk this march to try and create awareness because it is happening. Nobody's talking about it."

The march proceeded from the Toronto Peace Garden at Nathan Phillips Square to Sankofa Square. The event included stories from youth and families impacted by gun violence, poetry and singing, therapy and emotional support, food, drinks and a DJ.

It comes after a 17-year-old was shot near Jane Street and Finch Avenue W. on Monday and later died in hospital, according to Toronto police. He was later identified as Cashie Auguste, of Toronto, whom his community remembered this week as a young leader and "a person who was kind-hearted, soft-spoken" with "a bright future ahead of him."

A 16-year-old was charged with first-degree murder over his death on Thursday.

On Aug. 16, 2025, Holly Roy was lying in bed with her son, Jahvai, in their North York apartment when gunshots rang outside after midnight. Jahvai sat up in his bed and was struck by a stray shot. He was rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead. (David Hill/CBC)

March speaker Mayah Barnwell said the shooting this week solidified her decision to attend the march.

"There's no reason why a student should hop off a streetcar and you lose your life," she said. "It's outrageous."

Barnwell said gun violence impacts more than those who are shot, including the grieving family and those who have to watch a relative go to prison.

"These are people's lives," she added. "It's enough, stop it."

There have been 57 shootings in Toronto so far this year, the second lowest number at this point in the year in two decades, the Toronto Police Service said in a post to social media platform X Thursday.

A survey by national public opinion research firm Liaison Strategies at the beginning of September suggests that Toronto has the largest gap between its official crime statistics and people's perception of safety.

The survey, which included 15 Canadian cities, found that Toronto had an 11 point difference between the official crime-severity rank and how safe respondents think the city is.

Cashie Auguste, of Toronto, was shot near Jane Street and Finch Avenue W. on Monday and later died in hospital. (Supplied)

Any number of shootings is unacceptable, Barnwell said.

"It should be at zero," she said.

Attendee Cheriyah Livingscon-Rahim, 17, told CBC Toronto there has been too much violence perpetrated by youth in the city.

"There could never be too much awareness of something that's still going on," she said. "It's still happening and it's affecting a lot of communities."

Shirley Lukane said Saturday she was marching because she knows mothers who have lost their children to gun violence.

"We don't want to be like south of the border," she said. "You want kids to grow up and have a life."

Marches like the one against gun violence provide a much-needed community, she said.

"It's good to be with people that know you care," she said. "So that we're not all isolated in sadness and fear."