Toronto police lay new charges, arrest 7th student in St. Michael's College School investigation

Toronto police have laid new charges, arrested a seventh student, and rearrested four others in connection to allegations of sexual assault and assault at St. Michael's College School.

Police have now investigated a total of eight incidents connected to the all boys' Catholic private school. Investigators are pursuing criminal charges in three of the eight incidents.

On Wednesday, Insp. Dominic Sinipoli announced that five students turned themselves in to police in relation to an incident on Oct. 17. Four of the five students had already been arrested by police.

The latest student arrested is 15 years old, according to his lawyer, Nicholas Xynnis.

Charges laid against the boys include:

• Assault.
• Sexual assault with a weapon.
• Gang sexual assault.

Two of the boys who turned themselves in are also charged in relation to an earlier incident on Sep. 18.

They are charged with:

• Assault.
• Assault with a weapon.

The charged students are all members of the St. Michael's football team, the school confirmed.

Police said they do not expect to lay any more charges unless further information is brought forward, but they remain concerned that video of the sexual assault is still being circulated online.

"We have credible evidence that people are still in possession of this video and or have made attempts to upload it on social media," said Sinopoli.

The six teens initially arrested, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were all released on bail after their first court appearance in mid-November but were to make another appearance on Wednesday.

St. Michael's expelled eight students amid a growing police investigation into eight incidents at the private school. The school said it is now investigating the seventh student arrested.

Two top school officials resigned in wake of the scandal and St. Michael's has established a "respect and culture" review panel that's set to report its findings by the summer.

"This is another painful and heartbreaking day, but also a necessary step in our school's journey as we learn the truth about the terrible incidents that happened on one of our teams, and rededicate ourselves to both immediate and long-term change," said Father Andrew Leung, the school's interim president, in a statement.

The school has also cancelled its varsity basketball season for this year and scrapped its football program for the next year.