The Danforth Crime Report

The Danforth, also known as Greektown and Greektown on the Danforth. Is a Toronto neighbourhood. As the name suggests, it is centered around Danforth Avenue in Toronto. The definition of the actual area varies, but the neighbourhood is generally focused around Danforth Avenue from Broadview Avenue to Coxwell Avenue. The Danforth neighbourhood BIA considers a smaller area, between Chester Avenue and Dewhurst Boulevard, as “Greektown on the Danforth.” The area is home to a large number of restaurants as well as a variety of different stores. There are also a number of single-family residences in the neighbourhood. There are a number of different regions within the Danforth neighbourhood and each of those regions has different crime statistics. Some of these regions stretch slightly outside of the traditional Danforth boundaries. However, it is important to remember that criminals do not stop at certain streets. Crime can easily cross one from neighbourhood to another. In the area north of Danforth Avenue, between the Don Valley Parkway and Pape Avenue, there is an average of 6.86 crimes against people and 23.97 crimes against property per 1000 people living and working in the area. South of Danforth between the DVP and Hampton Avenue, there is an average of 7.77 crimes against people and 38.91 crimes against property per 1000. Between Hampton Avenue and Pape Avenue there is an average of 10.9 crimes against people and 48.24 crimes against property. This area of the Danforth is one of the Toronto neighbourhoods with the most property crime. North of Danforth between Pape Avenue and Greenwood Avenue, there is an average of 15.62 crimes against people and 35.42 crimes against property per 1000. South of Danforth Avenue between Pape and Jones Avenue there is an average of 12.27 crimes against people and 41.48 crimes against property. Between Jones and Greenwood there is an average of 14.97 crimes against people and 40.79 crimes against property. North of Danforth Avenue between Greenwood and Coxwell Avenue there is an average of 14.71 crimes against people and 33.92 crimes against property per 1000. South of Danforth, also between Greenwood and Coxwell, there is an average of 12.75 crimes against people and 21.58 crimes against property. In April 2007 a man was stabbed and killed inside a Danforth restaurant where he was celebratinga  friend’s birthday. The attack was believed to be random. From CP24:

A man has died from stab wounds he received while celebrating a friend’s birthday at a restaurant on Toronto’s Greektown strip. Jordan Ormonde, 24, was stabbed in the neck Saturday night while inside the Kokkino restaurant and bar. Police investigators believe the attack was a random assault. Officers are now looking for a man who introduced himself as “Benny” to others in the restaurant. Police are also searching for two other suspects and say they need help identifying them. Many of the people who were in the restaurant have already spoken with police but detectives are looking for others who fled the scene.

The alleged attacker was arrested in July 2007 in New York City. In January 2009 a man was shot in the head during a robbery attempt in the area. Another man was shot in the leg during the same attack. From the Toronto Star:

Related Map of GTA homicides Local crime maps Crime Stoppers Investigators suspect a botched street robbery may have been behind a double shooting on the Danforth, three hours into the new year. One man in his early 20s is in critical condition after being shot in the head. The victim was on life support at St. Michael’s Hospital last night, surrounded by his family. A second man, shot in the leg, remains in “satisfactory” condition, said Staff Sgt. Michael Cannon. Gunfire broke out about 3:30 a.m. at the corner of Danforth and Donlands Aves. police say. Neighbouring streets were mostly empty, witnesses recalled, with most New Year’s revellers already home.

Later that year, in November 2009, a man was shot and killed in front of a house near Danforth and Pape. From the Toronto Sun:

There was bloodshed in Greektown last night after a 27-year-old man was shot dead in front of a house just north of Danforth Ave. Police arrived at 97 Gough Ave. just west of Pape Ave. shortly before 8 p.m. where they found Theodoros Tiku dying of mutliple gunshot wounds. “We have no suspects at this time,” Staff Sgt. Kelly Dory said. He couldn’t confirm the number of gunshot wounds sustained by the victim, but a nearby restaurant owner said he heard five or six shots.

There was another shooting in the neighbourhood in August 2010. Several shots were fired and a man was hit in the leg during a robbery. From the Toronto Sun:

Bullets were flying on Danforth Ave. early Sunday as a robbery ended with one man suffering a minor wound to the leg. The frightening ordeal began just after 11 p.m. Saturday when two bandits robbed a group of men outside a 7-11 at Danforth Ave. and Donlands Rd., Toronto Police say. And then later, around 1:30 a.m., there was another encounter between the two groups, only this time gunfire erupted.

In March 2011 a man was stabbed in the face during another robbery near Danforth and Greenwood. The victim was confronted by a man while he was walking and a struggle took place. A second man then approached the victim and stabbed him in the face, hand and torso. The two men stole the victim’s bracelet and left the scene in a car. Another robbery led to a stabbing near Danforth and Greenwood in July 2011. A student was stabbed by another teenager in the neck and chest around 10:30 in the morning. The attacker was later arrested and charged.