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Five youths, aged 12 to 14, accused of sexually assaulting three youths on Halifax Transit bus

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Five youths between the ages of 12 and 14 are facing charges after police say three other youths were sexually assaulted on a Halifax Transit bus last month.

Halifax District RCMP received a complaint on Oct. 22 about sexual assaults involving several young people on a bus in the Lower Sackville, N.S., area.

Police learned the five youths had boarded Halifax Transit bus 87, which was travelling from the Dartmouth terminal to the Lower Sackville terminal, around 9:45 p.m.

Shortly after boarding the bus, police allege the youths approached three other youths, who were already on the bus, and sexually assaulted them.

Investigators say the two groups were not known to each other. No other details about the bus passengers have been released.

"Any sexual assault investigation involving youth, we don’t disclose information pertaining to the gender. Oftentimes that can lead to their identity," said Nova Scotia RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay.

Police say the five youths, aged 12 to 14, have since been arrested. They are facing charges of sexual assault, uttering threats and criminal harassment.

They have all been released on conditions and are due to appear in Halifax Youth Justice Court at a later date.

In a statement to CTV Atlantic Wednesday, Halifax city officials said:

"Halifax Transit has zero tolerance for all forms of verbal, physical or sexual harassment, gender-based violence, or any behaviour that causes harm to others on our buses and ferries. We will continue to cooperate with the RCMP as they move forward through their investigation.”

Meanwhile, police believe there are people who were travelling on the bus that night who may have witnessed the incident.

"We did gather video footage of the incident and we do ask the public who may have witnessed the incident to come forward and contact police with any details they may have seen," said Tremblay.

They are asking anyone with information to contact police at 902-490-5020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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