Funeral planned for father killed in random Toronto bus stop attacks, still no arrests

July 26, 2024 Canuck

Five months after Adu Boakye was shot and killed while walking by a bus stop at Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue, his wife, four sons and extended family have arrived in Toronto for his funeral.

“My father was good to his family and his children, he’d always make sure that we went to school,” said 18-year-old Dickson, who vows to take care of his mother and younger brothers now that his father is gone.

“My father was the breadwinner for the whole family, even his mother,” he said.

Boakye planned to work in Toronto to support his family back home, and had only been working at his new job in a warehouse for three weeks at the time of the attack.

Boakye was one of two people shot near that intersection in less than 24 hours back in February.

The first attack took place around 6 p.m. on Feb. 16. A 16-year-old, waiting for the bus to go to a volleyball game, was critically injured after being shot in the face. He survived.

Boakye, shot the following afternoon, did not.

Investigators said he was shot repeatedly, twice in the stomach. He died in hospital. Police still haven’t made arrests in the case.

Dickson says he will be making a speech at his father’s funeral, which is planned for Saturday.

“He was a good father to me, and I hope he rests in peace,” he said.

Ghanaian community in Toronto calling for support

Felicia Botchway, with the Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario, says it took months to bring Boakye’s family to Toronto, but the community was committed to supporting them.

“We’re tight-knit, so we are usually there for each other,” Botchway said.

“For him to come here, try to make a life for his family, and this tragedy happened to him, we couldn’t let him be buried here without his children and wife seeing him for the last time.”

A man smiles at the camera. — Investigators said Adu Boakye was shot repeatedly, twice in the stomach. He died in hospital. Police still haven’t made arrests in the case. (Toronto Police Service handout)

A GoFundMe was started earlier this year to help raise money for funeral costs and Boakye’s children.

Botchway says the association helped the family find a place to stay, and they’re currently looking for some longer-term accommodations. They’re planning to work with all levels of government to keep the family in Toronto, she said.

“This is just an innocent person who came to the country, minding his own business and was shot,” Botchway said.

“These children are victims of circumstances beyond their control. They didn’t ask for this, and we can’t abandon them.”

Investigation ongoing

In a statement, Toronto police said there are no new updates in relation to the case.

“The matter is still ongoing and naturally, we are still welcoming any new information or tips from the public,” police said.

For a number of weeks after the shooting, a command post was set up near the Driftwood Community Recreation Centre by Toronto police, which provided onsite trauma counselling. It has since been taken down.

Back in February, police said the attacks were carried out randomly, by the same suspect or suspects. They said the victims didn’t know each other or the suspect, nor were they involved in gang activity.

Felicia Botchway is with the Ghanaian Association of Ontario. She says the community is tight knit, and came together to help bring Boakye's family to Toronto. — Felicia Botchway is with the Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario. She says the community is tight-knit and came together to help bring Boakye’s family to Toronto. (CBC News)

No arrests have been made, but police have released a photo of a suspect, and said they linked the attacks to a stolen black Acura found in Hamilton.

Police say they are looking for a man, around 18 to 25 years old, with a thin build. Police say he was last seen wearing a black coat, a white hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black shoes, a black face covering and possibly a white surgical mask underneath.

“Whenever someone who commits a crime like that is at large, I think we all feel at risk,” said Anthony Perruzza, councillor for Humber River-Black Creek.

At the time of the attacks, community members, politicians and police went on a prayer walk to honour the victims, build connections and call for change. Perruzza says a number of community safety meetings also took place.