Members of the community gathered at a Toronto mosque on Wednesday to remember the 16-year-old boy who died after a shooting at an apartment building over the weekend.

The boy, who can no longer be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was shot late Sunday evening inside a 19th-floor apartment building at 2240 Weston Rd, just north of the Lawrence Avenue West intersection.

“I’m very happy to see my son in a good way …and God will help him,” the boy’s father told CBC News outside the Rexdale-area mosque.

Somali community member Hasan Abdul-Gal helped with the planning of today’s funeral and is concerned over the ongoing violence.

“We have to come together and have solution,” he said. “This is time out for community. Time out for Canada. We need help.”

On Tuesday police charged a 14-year-old boy with a single count of manslaughter. The accused cannot be publicly identified because of his age.

The tall and lanky boy appeared in a Finch Avenue court today, his sad and scared face in full view inside the prisoner’s box.

Police said tips from the public led to charges in the case being laid quickly. They’ve also recovered the gun that was allegedly used in the incident.

Abdul-Gal said several Somali teens have been the victims of gun violence and questions in this case how someone so young could have access to a weapon.

“Why 14 year old have gun? Where do they come from?,” he said. “We have enough with the gun back home.”

Source: CBC News