A 14-year-old boy wanted in the unprovoked stabbing death of a woman loading groceries into her car Thursday morning at a North York plaza has been arrested, police say.
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ woman Shahnaz Pestonji, 71, was killed in an “unprovoked†stabbing while loading groceries into her car near  on Thursday morning, officers said.
Pestonji was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead, investigators said, while the suspect fled the area, leading to a police search over several days.
The boy, who is from ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½, was arrested Sunday and charged with second-degree murder, investigators said in a .
The suspect’s age means he cannot be publicly identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police previously received permission to temporarily release the name and photo of the suspect before the arrest. That permission has now expired.Â
At a news conference Friday evening, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ police said they believe the suspect intended to rob 71-year-old Shahnaz Pestonji when she was stabbed.Â
The suspect was considered dangerous, police said, with Det. Matthew Pinfold urging people not to approach him and to call 911.
Search efforts for the suspect included door-to-door canvassing, drones, canine units and reviewing surveillance footage, officers said.Â
The suspect was believed to be “very knowledgeable of the city, and especially riding the transit system,” Pinfold added.Â
A number of videos claiming to show the suspect are circulating on social media. ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ police did not confirm if the videos are legitimate.
“We are aware of the videos circulating online. This remains an active investigation, and we are urging anyone who has any information to contact the police,†a police spokesperson told the Star in an email.
The accused is scheduled to appear in court at the Ontario Court of Justice at 10 a.m. on Monday.
Victim was an ‘angel on this Earth’
Pestonji’s family described the wife and mother as “an angel on this Earth” who was devoted to her family after a career working with veterans and seniors as a nurse at Sunnybrook Hospital.
Shahnaz Pestonji’s family said she had a distinctive, contagious laugh, loved to travel and was an incredible cook.
Courtesy Pestonji family“There’s no doubt in any of our minds that she knows how much we loved her,” her daughter Yasmin, 39, told the Star last week. “If I could get another hug I would never let go.”
Her family said Prestonji had a distinctive, contagious laugh, loved to travel and was an incredible cook.
“She would never say ‘I’m busy,’” her daughter Dina, 41, added. “She made time for everything, especially family.”
With files from Daniel Opasinis, Raju Mudhar and The Canadian Press
