An Ontario family is calling for changes to the criminal justice system to keep repeat offenders behind bars after one of its members was allegedly shot and injured by a 12-year-old boy who was out on bail last month.
York Region police said the youth was arrested Tuesday and charged with attempted murder, among other offences, in a shooting outside a home in Markham, Ont., on Aug. 14.
Police have said the suspect was out on bail for unrelated violent offences at the time of the incident, and they confirmed he was released on bail again Wednesday after appearing in court for charges related to the shooting. Police are also looking for an additional suspect, they said.
Junaid Razvi said his nephew, who is in his early 30s, was shot in the leg and is expected to make a full recovery, but he's still dealing with the psychological effects of the incident. The family does not want to publicly identify him because they fear for his safety, Razvi said.
"He's traumatized," said Razvi. "He's obviously very paranoid with regards to any strangers that might be driving up in the street or any unknown cars that might driving by, so he's in quite a state of shock."
Razvi said it was “mind-boggling” for his family to learn the suspect was out on bail at the time of the shooting and was released shortly after his arrest.
“For the whole community, for the city to see these kind of serious, potential alleged criminals to be let out so quickly is just something that we can’t fathom,” said Razvi, adding his family was especially shocked by the suspect’s age.
He said they're urging policy-makers to make legislative changes to ensure alleged repeat offenders can't recommit crimes, as the family is "outraged" at Canada's current bail laws.
“I strongly believe that you're innocent ‘til proven guilty. But we have a lot of these instances where these alleged offenders are just immediately given bail and allowed to come back on the streets to recommit some of these crimes all over again," said Razvi.
The push comes after a string of violent incidents in the province over the past few weeks, prompting recent calls for federal bail reform from police and politicians.
“We must advocate for legislative measures which ensure violent and repeat offenders are kept off the streets, while also focusing on rehabilitating our youth, to ensure public safety, to protect our officers and to maintain public confidence," York Region police Chief Jim MacSween said in a press release about the 12-year-old suspect on Wednesday.
Premier Doug Ford has also been an outspoken critic of Canada's bail laws. Earlier this week, he reiterated his push for Ottawa to fix the "disaster right now in the justice system."
"It's the weak Criminal Code that needs to be changed by the federal government," said Ford.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that his government plans to propose bail reform legislation next month, and that he spoke with Ford on the issue that morning.
"This government is committed to reforming the Criminal Code to ensure organized crime, gang crime, crime with handguns, home invasions, auto theft – that the individuals who participate in those crimes pay the price they should with consecutive sentencing, that they are not in a position where they commit a crime one day and they're arrested and then out on bail the next," Carney said at an unrelated press conference in Mississauga, Ont.
For Razvi, those changes can't come soon enough. His family has been left with an "uneasy feeling" in the wake of the shooting, he said.
"It's shocking, disturbing to say the least. You don't feel safe anymore."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2025.
Rianna Lim, The Canadian Press
