Calgary Youth Arrested After Threatening Bus Driver with Weapon

A Calgary Transit bus driver was threatened with a weapon by three young individuals last week, leading to the arrest of two 11-year-olds and a 13-year-old girl. The incident occurred shortly after midnight on August 15, 2023, at the Rundle CTrain station in northeast Calgary. According to the Calgary Police Service (CPS), the driver reported that as the youths exited her bus, they struck the side of the vehicle and pointed a gun at her.

Police swiftly responded to the incident, locating the suspects before a southbound train departed the station. The three youths were taken into custody, during which two replica firearms and one knife were seized. While the two 11-year-olds were released into the custody of their parents due to their age, the 13-year-old girl was charged with multiple offenses, including assault with a weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, her identity remains protected.

Youth Crime Trends and Safety Measures

The assault adds to growing concerns regarding youth crime in Calgary. Despite a nine percent decrease in youth-related crime compared to last year, the current rates are still six percent above the five-year average. CPS statistics show a troubling 17 percent increase in violent offenses committed by youth, primarily driven by assaults and robberies.

Inspector Sarah Roe of the CPS Youth Services Section emphasized the need for community-wide intervention. “We are seeing increasingly concerning behaviours amongst youth, and it’s a call to action for all of us,” she stated. She called for coordinated efforts from families, schools, and community organizations to support young individuals in making better choices.

Recent Assaults on Transit Operators

This incident marks the latest in a series of assaults on Calgary Transit operators this year. It is the second attack involving young offenders in a three-week period. On July 29, 2023, three youths were arrested after a bus driver was robbed at knifepoint at the Erlton/Stampede Park CTrain station. In that case, the driver successfully de-escalated the situation, allowing the suspect to leave with an undisclosed sum of money.

Investigators believe that those involved in the earlier robbery may also be connected to a liquor store theft that occurred later that evening. An 11-year-old boy was arrested in relation to the bus driver robbery, while a 14-year-old girl faced charges for shoplifting and failure to comply with a court order. Charges were also pending against a 16-year-old girl linked to the liquor store incident.

In response to the increasing violence against transit operators, Calgary City Council unanimously approved $15 million to install assault barriers across the entire Calgary Transit bus fleet. This decision followed an earlier incident where a driver was assaulted by two men after refusing to deviate from the designated route. Daryll Flett, 22, and Curtis Baker, 20, were later charged with aggravated assault and robbery.

As incidents of violence against transit workers continue to rise, city officials stress the importance of ensuring safety for both employees and passengers.