Toronto police looking for 3 gunmen in fatal Lawrence Heights shooting
Police said gunfire left 31-year-old man dead, 5 others injured
Toronto police are seeking three suspects they allege opened fire on a group of people in a targeted shooting in Lawrence Heights on Tuesday night, leaving one man dead.
Homicide Det. Sgt. Tiffany Castell said the 31-year-old man who was killed was in a wheelchair. She wouldn't confirm if he was the target of the shooting, but said nobody deserves to die the way he did.
The death marks the city's 13th homicide of the year. Police said the man will be named once his next of kin have been notified.
Castell said police are taking precautions across the city in case there's retaliation for the shooting. "We're always going to be concerned about what could potentially arise," she told reporters at police headquarters.
Five others, ranging in age from 17 to 30, were shot in the attack. Their injuries are considered non-life threatening, Castell said.
The three suspects are described as males dressed in dark clothing with their faces covered. All three carried firearms, police said.
Police Chief Myron Demkiw said the investigation is evolving and vowed police will do everything they can to arrest those responsible.
"This kind of violence causes a lot of pain and anxiety in our communities," he said at a news conference.
Police and paramedics responded to several calls about the shooting just after 8:30 p.m.Tuesday.
The main shooting happened in a laneway near Flemington Road and Zachary Court. Beyond the laneway, there were secondary scenes where the victims went after the shooting, Sarvanandan said Tuesday night.
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.
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."
With files from Sarah Petz and Muriel Draaisma