TORONTO, ON — A celebration of culture and unity ended in heartbreak Saturday evening after a teenager was fatally stabbed near Queen Street East and Coxwell Avenue during the opening night of Afrofest 2025. The tragic incident has left a community in mourning and police urgently searching for answers.
Emergency services were called to the scene shortly before 9:00 p.m. following multiple reports of a violent altercation near the festival grounds. First responders located the teen—believed to be around 16 or 17 years old—suffering from critical stab wounds.
Paramedics immediately began life-saving measures and transported the victim to a nearby trauma centre under an emergency run. Despite every effort to stabilize him, the teen was later pronounced dead at the hospital, leaving friends, family, and festivalgoers stunned and devastated.
The victim’s identity has not yet been publicly released as authorities work to notify next of kin.
Toronto Police have confirmed that a homicide investigation is underway and are appealing to the public for video footage, photographs, and eyewitness accounts that could help identify the suspect or suspects involved.
“This was a senseless act of violence at what should have been a joyful and peaceful event,” said Det. Sgt. Jennifer Barrett of the Toronto Police Homicide Squad. “We are asking anyone who was in the area of Queen and Coxwell between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. to please check their phones, dashcams, or security cameras. Even a small detail may make a big difference.”
Afrofest, Canada’s largest celebration of African culture, music, and heritage, had drawn large crowds to Toronto’s Woodbine Park for the annual event. The stabbing occurred just blocks from the main festivities, casting a somber shadow over what was meant to be a vibrant and unifying weekend.
Witnesses described chaos and panic as police secured the area and attendees fled the scene, some unaware of the tragic events unfolding nearby.
Community leaders and city officials have since expressed condolences to the victim’s family, calling the incident a devastating blow to Toronto’s youth and the larger Afro-Caribbean community.
“This young man’s life was just beginning,” said local councillor Alecia Mbeki. “His future was full of potential, and now his family is left with only grief. We need to stand together—not only to support the investigation but to stop this kind of violence from destroying more lives.”
As of Sunday morning, no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Toronto Police Homicide Unit or submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
A life was lost in the heart of a celebration. And now, amid the music and dancing that once filled the air, only silence and sorrow remain