Four young people from Barrie, aged 13 to 16, are facing a list of charges after a series of menacing events in the city’s north end on May 24, 2026. The Barrie Police Service says the trouble started at Lampman Lane Park and then moved to a nearby plaza on Leacock Drive. No one was hurt, but officers say a knife was involved in multiple threats.
Police explain that a group of teens approached some youths playing at the park on Sunday evening. One male in the group is accused of pulling out a knife and threatening two boys, ages 14 and 15, in separate incidents. After that, the group left the park and headed to a commercial plaza on Leacock Drive.
At the plaza, items were stolen from two businesses. When a business owner stepped in and confronted the group, the same male from the park is alleged to have produced the knife again and made threats. The frightened owner retreated into his store to get away from the situation. One of the suspects also reportedly made additional threats toward a witness while pointing to the knife tucked in his pocket.
Officers quickly responded and tracked down the four suspects. Two of them were located nearby, and the other two were found after they ran into a wooded area. All four were arrested without further incident.
A 16-year-old boy from Barrie faces the most serious charges, including robbery with violence, three counts of assault with a weapon, theft under $5,000, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of a weapon contrary to a court order, and failure to comply with a sentence. A second 16-year-old boy is charged with theft under $5,000, mischief under $5,000, and failure to comply with an undertaking. A 13-year-old boy is charged with uttering threats to cause bodily harm, and a 14-year-old boy is charged with theft under $5,000. None of the young people can be named because their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
