Police identify 23-year-old fatally shot in Etobicoke
No indication that Awais Ismail Awais, 23, was specifically targeted, police say
Toronto police have identified a 23-year-old man shot and killed in Etobicoke Wednesday night, and are appealing to the public for information in the case.
Police say they were called to an apartment complex in the Martin Grove and Albion roads area shortly after 9 p.m. That's where they say Awais Ismail Awais of Toronto was found injured and pronounced dead at the scene.
"This is a tragedy," Det.-Sgt. Jason Davis told reporters Thursday afternoon.
"We have no indication at this time that he was specifically targeted," Davis said.
Awais is the city's 7th homicide victim so far this year, police say.
Police hope to identify 2 suspects
Police are now appealing to the public for information, images and video footage that may help with the case.
Davis said police are looking for two male suspects, one described as wearing all black and another described as wearing a grey hoodie, a white t-shirt, black pants and white socks with dark shoes.
"We appreciate any help from the public that we can get," Davis said.
Police Supt. Ron Taverner echoed Davis's comments to reporters Thursday afternoon.
"Any information that you might think doesn't mean much may mean a lot, so we encourage people to come forward," he said.
Taverner said police are "very mindful" of how people in the area are feeling, given "it's not too long ago that we had multiple people who were shot and killed not too far from there."
Taverner was referring to the mass shooting in the parking lot of North Albion Collegiate Institute in June 2024, in which police charged a 14-year-old boy with two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder.
The complex where Awais died includes a playground and other areas where children play, Davis said.
"We're lucky we're not up here talking about multiple victims," he said.
Toronto Youth Cabinet calls for action on gun violence
In a statement on Thursday, the Toronto Youth Cabinet said it was "deeply saddened and outraged" at ongoing gun violence in the city, saying that young people in the city are both the victims and perpetrators of violence.
"Toronto cannot continue down this path. Without urgent investment in youth employment, community support, and violence prevention programs, the city will remain trapped in a cycle of youth poverty and crime," the statement reads.
"Young people are at the centre of Toronto's violence epidemic. It is beyond unacceptable, and urgent action is needed by all levels of government to address youth violence through prevention and systemic change to improve youth socio-economic conditions."
The Toronto Youth Cabinet, which is the city's official youth advocacy body, said it was disappointed that the city's 2025 budget did not make "meaningful and critical investments in employment, violence prevention, and community support" for young people.
"We will not stand by while Toronto's young people are left to suffer the consequences of systemic neglect. This blatant violence can no longer continue," the statement reads.