Toronto tourist dies after attack by panhandlers - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Cowboy89 · 08-13-2007, 08:36 AM

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A tourist to Toronto succumbed to his injuries on the weekend after being attacked by an enraged gang of panhandlers in a downtown neighbourhood.
Four panhandlers already facing several assault charges will likely see those charges upgraded after Ross Hammond, of St. Catharines, died of his injuries Saturday, police say.
Councillor Michael Thompson said yesterday that panhandling in Toronto is "essentially out of control."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

Demanding for money and drawing a weapon shouldn't be considered 'Aggressive Panhandling" It should be called armed robbery. Toronto's PCness will be their undoing.

Muta · 08-13-2007, 08:41 AM

These kids are such winners in life.

kermitology · 08-13-2007, 08:47 AM

Last time I was in Toronto, I was chased by a panhandler who claimed I was lying to him about not having any change. I ran from the train station to Tim Horton's where I was going to get something to eat.

It was unreal, he heard my keys in my pocket and thought it was change.

HelloHockeyFans · 08-13-2007, 08:53 AM

nm

J pold · 08-13-2007, 08:54 AM

Maybe he was trying to get one of those Bum fights going....

Cowboy89 · 08-13-2007, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kermitology

Last time I was in Toronto, I was chased by a panhandler who claimed I was lying to him about not having any change. I ran from the train station to Tim Horton's where I was going to get something to eat.

It was unreal, he heard my keys in my pocket and thought it was change.

I can't believe it's gotten so bad as panhandlers assuming that just becasuse we have spare change they're automatically entitled to it on the basis of us passing by. That says something about Toronto right there. I'm not sure if anyone has a similar story about Calgary but in my experience when a panhandler gets agressive I straight up tell them they aren't getting anything and they finally go away. I suppose that's not good enough in Toronto.

Drunk Skunk · 08-13-2007, 08:58 AM

That article all but made up my mind about going to Toronto soon. I'll be staying home. I don't like being stabbed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Argos suck!

Leafs suck!

Everything about Toronto sucks!

Now that that's out of the way...

This is horrible news... Nathan Phillips Square is practically in the financial district and is fairly crowded on a Saturday night even at 12:30AM.

Wow, they're all 22 and younger?

Marlies suck!

HelloHockeyFans · 08-13-2007, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drunk Skunk

That article all but made up my mind about going to Toronto soon. I'll be staying home. I don't like being stabbed.

Yeah, good choice. Toronto's the only city where it happens.

That's why it sucks.

Muta · 08-13-2007, 09:08 AM

Me too. I'll flat out tell a panhandler that they cannot have my change, because I need it. Or I'll tell them that they simply can't have it.

One time at the crack Mac's on 7th, I had just bought from Subway there, went onto the train station to catch the next train, and proceeded to get harassed by a woman wanting change. When I said that I wasn't giving her change, she asked if she could have my sub sandwich I just bought. Like hell I'm giving someone my lunch, just because they wanted it. I told her 'yeah right', and then she asked for my chocolate milk. Again, I said 'yeah right'. I also added 'you're not getting anything, take the hint.' So she called over her boyfriend, who when I saw him must've been about 6'8" and 300 lbs, so I booked it off the platform into another building. As much as I wanted to Chuck Norris his ass around Southern Alberta, reality let me know that wasn't a situation I was about to handle.

I just don't understand why panhandlers think they're entitled to your money. Sometimes I'd just like to bust out the 'get a job' argument to them (especially in today'd economy), but then I realize that doesn't really accomplish anything except enrage them.

habernac · 08-13-2007, 09:09 AM

as it was mentioned in the article, the best thing to do is ignore them and keep on walking. Why invite a confrontation?

Table 5 · 08-13-2007, 09:10 AM

Leave the Toronto crap out of it, these idiots are losers on their own accord.

HelloHockeyFans · 08-13-2007, 09:11 AM

Why are 22-year old kids panhandling in the first place? They could get a job tomorrow if they tried. I just don't get it.

mykalberta · 08-13-2007, 09:13 AM

Amazing what happens when people stop taking personal responsibility for their own actions.

MYK

Cowboy89 · 08-13-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muta

One time at the crack Mac's on 7th, I had just bought from Subway there, went onto the train station to catch the next train, and proceeded to get harassed by a woman wanting change.

I don't know why the Police don't have a 24/7 presence there. If they fail to do that then an angry mob of citizenry should be there 24/7 and call the cops whenever a drug dealer or crackhead does the slightest thing wrong. That Mac's is terrible and has been for years. There's nothing overly run down or a homeless shelter nearby so it doesn't make sense.

getbak · 08-13-2007, 09:24 AM

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Originally Posted by Cowboy89

There's nothing overly run down or a homeless shelter nearby so it doesn't make sense.

The 8th and 8th Clinic is just around the corner.

octothorp · 08-13-2007, 09:27 AM

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Originally Posted by Cowboy89

I don't know why the Police don't have a 24/7 presence there. If they fail to do that then an angry mob of citizenry should be there 24/7 and call the cops whenever a drug dealer or crackhead does the slightest thing wrong. That Mac's is terrible and has been for years. There's nothing overly run down or a homeless shelter nearby so it doesn't make sense.

I think the reason that so many homeless people and drug dealers (and I think the two are closely intertwined as the majority of the beligerent pan-handlers are likely trying to support an addiction) hang out there is because it's just about as far away from the police station as you can get on a free fare, and there's the secluded park across the street.

HOOT · 08-13-2007, 09:31 AM

MOD EDIT: Make your point without profanity.

Bobblehead · 08-13-2007, 09:40 AM

If you want to use this as a blanket example of what Toronto is like, then you must be alright with saying Calgary is stabbing central after those random attacks during Stampede. It isn't like Calgary has been an example to any city after the summer we have had.

Muta · 08-13-2007, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

I don't know why the Police don't have a 24/7 presence there. If they fail to do that then an angry mob of citizenry should be there 24/7 and call the cops whenever a drug dealer or crackhead does the slightest thing wrong. That Mac's is terrible and has been for years. There's nothing overly run down or a homeless shelter nearby so it doesn't make sense.

Well, one of the reasons why this crap continues is because people don't stand up for themselves in these situations. They are intimidated into giving panhandlers change, if they don't do it out of kind-heartedness.

The more money people keep giving to these people, the more it happens. Standing up for yourself doesn't work for everybody, but it does let the aggressor know that they're not in control.

ken0042 · 08-13-2007, 09:49 AM

Regarding crack Macs- I have heard that one of the reasons there's not a 24/7 police presence there is they know the drug deals are going to go down; if they close that area down the dealers will simply move. So it's better to have a known section of town- that way us non-users know what area to avoid.

Not sure how much of that I buy, but it does make sense in a "police have given up" sort of way.