East Danforth is a neighbourhood located in the former East York area of the City of Toronto. It is located along Danforth Avenue, as the name suggests. The neighbourhood’s western boundary is Greenwood Avenue and its eastern boundary is Victoria Park Avenue. To the north is the Old East York neighbourhood and the southern boundary is defined by railway tracks. In terms of crime in the East Danforth neighbourhood, the crime rates are relatively average for the City of Toronto. South of Danforth Avenue to the railway tracks, between Greenwood Avenue and Coxwell Avenue, there is an average of 12.75 crimes against people per 1000 living and working in the area. There is an average of 21.58 crimes against property. East of Coxwell Avenue to Victoria Park Avenue, still between Danforth Avenue and the railway tracks, there is an average of 9.64 crimes against people and 22.07 crimes against property. North of Danforth, between Coxwell Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue, there is an average of 15.44 crimes against people and 35.22 crimes against property. Between Coxwell Avenue and Greenwood Avenue there is 14.71 crimes against people and 33.92 crimes against property. The Danforth and Victoria Park area is one of the
Toronto areas with the most property crime. In August of 2009 a shot was fired outside of Coxwell subway station near Danforth and Coxwell. From CityTV:
According to reports, one shot was fired, and luckily no one was hurt. Police still aren’t sure what precipitated the shooting, which took place at the height of rush hour. Witnesses say they saw a gunman pull a chain from another man’s neck before the gun went off.
In August 2010, there was gunfire outside of another nearby subway station. This time it was near Victoria Park station near Danforth and Victoria Park. From CTV News:
The shots rang out on a walkway which connects Victoria Park subway station to a nearby apartment building. The walkway is often busy with commuters, but it appears that passersby were not injured. Police said that two men were injured in the shooting, though it’s expected both will survive.
However, it is not just nearby subway stations. In April 2011 a man was taken to hospital after he was assaulted near Coxwell and Danforth. From CP24:
Police say two males got into an altercation on Coxwell Avenue at about 2:30 a.m., resulting one of them being transported to hospital with serious injuries. Police say a weapon was recovered but it’s not known if the weapon was used in the assault.
In June 2011 a man with a gun fired several shots near Danforth and Ladysmith Avenue, which is about a block east of Greenwood Avenue. Also from CP24:
Officers were called to the area of Danforth Avenue and Ladysmith Avenue, about a block east of Greenwood Avenue, shortly before 1:30 a.m. Police found shell casings at the scene, but the people who were involved in the dispute were gone. Officers soon learned from witnesses that there was a fight in a bar near the intersection that spilled onto the sidewalk. The situation soon escalated to the point where someone fired several gunshots, police said.
In July 2011 a teenager was stabbed repeatedly near Danforth and Greenwood by another teenager. From the National Post:
The attack occurred around 10:30 a.m., and was motivated by robbery. The attacker stole the victim’s cell phone, then fled the scene. A passerby saw the wounded teen on Lamb Avenue and called police; when officers arrived, the student was without vital signs. He was rushed to hospital. “His injuries are bad, but he will live,” said Officer Wahid Khan of Toronto Police at the scene.
