RPTV WEEKLY NEWS (EP75) - Community Mourns the Tragic Loss of Father and Son

RPTV Weekly News Show Episode 75 (March 15th to March 22nd, 2024) - in this weekly news show hosted by RPTV reporter Jabin Haque, Gabriel Meissner, Fred Alvarado, and Kedar Ahmed, we present news that impacts on Toronto's Regent Park and the surrounding areas.

In this episode we present the following news:
0:00 intro
01:15 Community Mourns Tragic Loss of Father and Son; 06:19 Eid Bazaar & Market Returns; 10:01 Regent Park Community Health Workers Rally for Fair Wages as strike deadline looms; 16:04 Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre Closed for Repairs;
16:25 St. Bartholomew’s Children’s Centre Seeks New Home Amidst Landlord Restructuring;
17:58 Metrolinx Hosts Moss Park Station Information Session on Piling Construction;
22:16 Toronto Council Debates FIFA Costs, Housing, and Parking Fines;
26:38 Toronto Police Chief Addresses Surge in Hate Crimes and Auto Thefts;
30:41 Toronto Public Health Issues Warning Amid Surge in Fatal Opioid Overdoses;
31:59 Events and Jobs in Regent Park Community.

This week’s lead story:

Community mourns tragic loss of father and son.

By Fred Alvarado Fred is a community journalist with FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

Pain and grief have gripped Regent Park and the local Congolese community since Ngoyi Kongolo, 59, and Didier Kongolo, 25, also known as John and Denzel respectively, were killed in a daylight shooting Tuesday March 12th, 2024.  The matriarch of the Congolese family, Kutu Kihota, also suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the incident.

On Wednesday March 13th, police announced they charged 23-year-old Benedict Johnson Kongolo, John’s son and Denzel’s brother, with two counts of first-degree murder.

Det. Sgt. Tiffany Castell of Toronto police’s homicide unit said the March 12 shooting started inside a home and spilled over onto the street before Benedict was arrested following a brief foot pursuit. This was the first shooting in the Regent Park neighbourhood in almost two years.

As the community grapples with the weight of this loss, they gathered in solidarity to mourn and remember John and Denzel. A vigil held on Saturday, March 16th, near the site of the shooting, saw over a hundred mourners, including local councillor Chris Moise, paying their respects.

The solemn gathering, marked by candles and floral tributes, honoured the memory of the beloved father and son. Police presence ensured safety as attendees shared moments of reflection and unity in the face of tragedy.

The family spoke publicly for the first time while commemorating their loved ones and imploring the public to stop spreading rumours about the incident. Donovan describes his father John as someone who had a big heart and who showed his children how to provide for their family.

The vigil concluded with a moment of silence, a candle lighting and attendees sombrely singing Congolese artist Charles Mombaya’s “Azali Koya.”