Oh the random acts of violence and homicide that is now plaguing Toronto is something else. The city decided to start demolishing the homeless encampments that are found throughout the city- in parks, under bridges etc... Due to the economic crisis and housing unaffordibility there is a huge strain on the city's homeless shelters. Also add on top of that the fact that 35% of people in shelters are asylum seekers. So people who are homeless literally have to live on the streets. Since they cannot live in encampments they are now all over the public spaces i.e. the TTC.
Many of these people are drug addicts and/or mentally ill. Many also suffer from psychological trauma i.e. they were abused as children. They often turn to drugs to self medicate. The drugs usually worsen their mental health. This spirals into a very vicious cycle. The drugs keep making them more insane yet they keep doing drugs to try and cope. This creates people who are batsh!t insane.
My friend got attacked by one of these people. He was walking down the street and some huge guy, who he never saw before in his life, started going towards him and pulled out a knife and tried to stab him in the throat. My friend blocked the knife with his forearm. Below is a picture of the wound he recieved as a result. I warn you its pretty graphic. If the attacker's knife had found its mark and hit my friend in the throat he would no longer be amoung the living. This was a completely random attack.This attack never made the news. So imagine how many such attacks have happened on top of what the news showcases.
Friend's Forearm injury:
