REGINA - Six youths have been charged following a series of assaults and robberies in Regina.
Six male youths are facing multiple charges following a series of assaults over the past 11 months. In most of the cases, the male victims met the suspect(s) via a dating app. The suspects were posing as a 15 year-old boy during the online interaction and then filming the subsequent assaults with the intention to share on social media platforms as part of the “Catch a Predator” online trend.
On Oct. 12, 2024, a male victim arranged a meet up through a dating app. When he arrived at the proposed address in the 2200 Block of Edward Street, he reported being assaulted outside the residence by six or seven males wearing masks. The suspects also took alcohol from the victim before fleeing the scene.
A 13-year-old male, two 16-year-old males, a 15-year-old male and a 14-year-old male, all of whom cannot be named in keeping with the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, are each facing the following charges in relation to this investigation: robbery; and assault.
On Oct. 30, 2024, police were dispatched to a residence for a report of an assault. When they arrived, they found a 20-year-old male victim suffering from multiple injuries consistent with an assault. The victim told police he had arranged to meet with someone he had met through a dating app. When he arrived at the location, a park in the 2400 block of Elphinstone Street, he was assaulted by a group of males. The victim’s phone was smashed and his vehicle keys were taken. The victim was treated for his injuries in hospital and released.
A 13-year-old male, two 16-year-old males, a 15-year-old male and a 14-year-old male, all of whom cannot be named in keeping with the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, are each facing the following charges in relation to this investigation: robbery; and aggravated assault.
On Jan. 17, 2025, five males entered a business in the 1900 block of Elphinstone Street, approached a sixth male and proceeded to assault him. Both the suspects and the victim fled the scene. Police were able to locate two of the suspects nearby and, through further investigation, were able to link them to the assault. The suspects told police they had arranged to meet with the victim through a dating app.
A 13-year-old male, a 15-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, all of whom cannot be named in keeping with the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, are all charged with: assault.
In a separate incident, on April 24, 2024, police were called to a residence in the 2000 block of Wascana Street for a report of a weapons offence. When officers arrived, they located a male youth holding a silver piece of pipe in the air, facing an adult male who was injured. Officers were able to de-escalate the situation and take the first suspect into custody. Through the investigation, it was determined two other males were involved in the assault. The victim was taken to hospital where he was treated for his injuries and released. The suspects and victim were known to each other.
As a result, a 15-year-old male, a 16-year-old male and a 17-year-old male, all of whom cannot be named in keeping with the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, are all charged with: aggravated assault.
All of the accused made their first appearances on these charges in Regina Provincial Youth Court. The investigation is ongoing as police believe there are more suspects.
The Regina Police Service reminds the public that acts of vigilantism are taken seriously and when a crime is committed, charges will be laid.
