12-year-old boy robbed in RDP park with alleged gun involved, parents call for action

A 12-year-old boy was playing soccer at Pasquale-Gattuso Park in Rivière-des-Prairies (RDP) when his parents say three teenagers approached him and demanded his phone – while showing a weapon, allegedly a gun. 

“I got a call from my son‘s friend saying that he got threatened with a gun and that his phone was stolen. I couldn’t believe it. I was shaking when I got to the park. I flew there with my sister and I saw my son traumatized – white like a ghost,” explained Ivana, the boy’s mother.

It happened on Sunday afternoon. The boy wasn’t physically hurt, but his parents, who want to remain anonymous for the safety of their child, say the experience has changed how they see letting him out on his own. 

“He’s just scared to go to the park, and he was just there having fun. I told him we’re not going to the park alone anymore unless there’s a parent there,” said Steve, the boy’s father.

One young mother described the neighbourhood as family-oriented and was surprised to hear about the incident.

“Being a new mother, my radar is always on for danger and I felt like something happened and then I saw you so I figured something bad happened. I feel terrible for the parents that had to go through that in a little boy in this incident,” she said.

The parents say they spent two hours speaking with Montreal police officers after the incident, who also went around asking neighbours for footage from their door cameras. And while the police told CityNews that the investigation is ongoing – until the weapon is recovered, they couldn’t confirm whether a firearm was involved.

“I want them to catch them. Yeah, the police need to do something about it. We can’t stay like this,” said Ivana.

Harder still for the boy’s father is the fact that he’s currently recovering from major surgery on his leg and wasn’t able to be at the park with his son.

“I feel angry. I feel like my job as a parent is to protect my child and I couldn’t do it, you know,” Steve explained.

For the family, the concern goes beyond a stolen phone.

“[This] used to be a safe place and now it’s not safe anymore,” said Ivana. “When people see guns … I mean, me too, I’d be terrified. Imagine kids. My son‘s gonna remember for the rest of his life.”