Man dead, 5 injured in shooting in Toronto's Lawrence Heights neighbourhood: police
Police said there were multiple suspects, but could not provide descriptions Tuesday
A man in his 40s is dead and five other people were injured in a shooting in Toronto's Lawrence Heights neighbourhood on Tuesday, police say.
The five injured, a woman and four men, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, Duty Senior Officer Baheer Sarvanandan, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, told reporters.
The main shooting scene was in a laneway near Flemington Road and Zachary Court, he said. Police received several calls from witnesses and victims at 8:37 p.m.
"This is a very complex, large scene," he said.
Beyond the laneway, there were secondary scenes where the victims went after the shooting, Sarvanandan said.
Paramedics said the victims range in age from 18 to 40. Five of the victims are male, while one is female, they added.
Sarvanandan said police have yet to notify next of kin and are appealing for witnesses to come forward. A command post has been set up under the overpass at Ranee Avenue and Allen Road.
Nicole Rodrigues, deputy commander for Toronto Paramedic Services, said paramedics were called to two scenes, one on Zachary Court, near Flemington Road, and another on New Heights Court, near Turtle Island Road.
Police say there are multiple suspects, but could not provide any descriptions or say whether they fled on foot or in vehicles. They also could not say what led to the shooting. No firearms have been recovered.
Police were expected to remain on scene through the night.
"We need daylight to see if there's any shell casings, any blood trails, any property that's left behind," Sarvanandan said.
Police on scene in 'huge numbers': councillor
In a post on X, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she was "disturbed" by the news of the shootings and her office is in contact with the police and Deputy Mayor Mike Colle.
"I want to thank the first responders — Toronto Police, Fire and Paramedic services for your work on a very busy and challenging scene," Chow said.
Colle, for his part, told reporters near the scene that he is "disgusted" with the "mad gun play" that took place in Lawrence Heights.
"It's really disappointing because it's really been very peaceful and quiet here the last couple of years. We haven't had any real incidents. And then all of a sudden tonight, this explosion of gun violence and people getting shot," Colle said.
"It's very, very disturbing. And especially for people here that are trying to do their best and this is really the punch in the stomach for them. You know, it's really, really hard for them."
Colle said police were at the scene in "huge numbers" with about 30 police cars present.
"It's really a wild, wild west scene here tonight," Colle said.
Colle said the city has been working on building a new community centre in the neighbourhood.
"And this sort of just shatters that peace," he said.
'Puddles of blood'
One man who lives in a building nearby but declined to give his name said he was in his bedroom when he heard what sounded like 10 to 20 gunshots. When he went to his balcony, he said he saw "a bunch of vehicles" speeding away.
The man then headed to the gym and saw a "commotion" in an alleyway.
"There was a lot of blood and a lot of people yelling and screaming," he said. "Puddles of blood, people being given life-saving procedures."
The man added: "It's just surreal because you don't think that this type of thing would happen in Canada."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Shanifa Nasser, Dale Manucdoc and Andrew Neary