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Teen shot dead after tracking missing phone with app

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A Canadian teenager, who left his mobile phone in a taxi, decided to track down his device using an app.

The app, which uses Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation technology, pinpointed the location of his missing smartphone as at a fast-food restaurant in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Mr Jeremy Cook, 18, made his way to the eatery on Sunday (June 14) morning and confronted three men in a car outside, local police Constable Ken Steeves told AFP.

"He approached the vehicle and it’s safe to say a conversation occurred, but the phone wasn’t turned over to him," said Constable Steeves.

The three men attempted to leave, but the teen grabbed onto the vehicle as it drove away, he said.

Riddled with bullets

Police responding to an emergency call found Mr Cook’s body riddled with bullets at the rear of a nearby strip mall, while the car was found abandoned after being driven into a fence.

The teen’s discarded smartphone was discovered by a bystander close to the abandoned vehicle, Constable Steeves said.

Canadian police said on Tuesday (June 17) that they are hunting for the three men aged between 18 and 21.

Police said the victim had no connection to his attackers.

"It’s not the app that resulted in his death," Constable Steeves said. "Having and using an app to find your phone is not a bad thing at all, it’s great."

But he urged citizens to call police for help if they encountered "any resistance, violence or potential for violence" while trying to recover lost or stolen property.

Source: AFP

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