According to police, the eight girls were arrested near where the attack happened. Three of the girls are 13 years old, three are 14 and two are 16.

The CBC News reported that Canadian police are calling the incident a “swarm”, in which several attackers target a victim simultaneously.

The man, whose identity remains unclear, was assaulted and stabbed in the citys downtown core early Sunday morning and taken to a hospital where he died.

The eight teens were found shortly after the incident and busted and charged with unplanned intentional homicide, Detective Sgt. Terry Browne of the Toronto Police Service Homicide Squad said at a press conference.

“We don’t know how or why they met that night and why downtown Toronto,” Browne said.

He further noted that the alleged culprits engaged in behavior known as “swarming,” which historically has involved a group of teenage boys who may do this to get something from the victim or sometimes it is part of a ritual for being included in a gang.

The teenage girls were remanded in custody and are due to appear in court on December 29, Browne said.

Pll/jcm/cgc