Toronto marks National Day Against Gun Violence days after Lawrence Heights shooting

Toronto officials marked the National Day Against Gun Violence with a city hall event on Friday that came after a week in which a shooting left one person dead and five others injured.

Mayor Olivia Chow told a gathering at the city's Indigenous Spirit Garden that the national day represents a call for peace and aims to bring awareness to the causes and effects of gun violence and the need for prevention and healing. 

"The impact of gun violence is far-reaching. It impacts all of us," Chow said. 

Chow was joined by Deputy Mayor Amber Morley, Spadina-Fort York MPP Chris Glover and Don Valley North MP Maggie Chi.

On Tuesday evening, a shooting in Toronto's Lawrence Heights neighbourhood left Yahya Ahmed-Mohamoud, 31, of Toronto, dead. Police identified him in a news release on Friday.

Ahmed-Mohamoud suffered life-threatening injuries in the shooting in the area of Ranee Avenue and Varna Drive and and was pronounced dead in hospital. Five others, three men, a woman and a youth, suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Toronto police said three suspects approached a group of people, took out guns and began shooting at the group. Police are continuing to seek the three suspects. All three are described as male, with slim to average builds, wearing dark clothing and face coverings. All were carrying firearms.

Chow said the shooting in Lawrence Heights has shaken the neighbourhood and all of Toronto. Chow, Deputy Mayor Mike Colle and Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw went to the area on Thursday to speak to community members, friends of the victims and neighbourhood activists about the gun violence.

"There's a lot of grief, a lot of trauma, people who are afraid in their neighbourhood. They are scared for their kids. But one thing — because they showed up, they will not let fear dictate their lives. They believe that change is possible," Chow said.

Chow said she and the police chief were urged to come back to the community to work together for peace. She said she was told: "We are disappointed. We are devastated. But we have not given up." Chow said she is committed to return to the community in a couple of weeks.

'We are here and I am feeling your pain'

Shondelle Reis, whose son Joshua Bernard-Reis, 21, died due to gun violence, also spoke at the city hall event.

On Sept. 24, 2023, her son was on his way home after helping his sister move some furniture when he got out of his car near his Scarborough home and climbed up some stairs. He was hit by two bullets. He was rushed to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and later removed from life support.

Reis said the tragedy tore her family apart. Now she organizes programs and projects for others to help them heal.

"I am here this morning, not speaking for myself, but speaking on behalf of all mothers who have lost their children to gun violence. We are here and I am feeling your pain. I am standing in your silence and I am standing in your strength," Reis said.

"Today, as I prepare to lay flowers on behalf of families that have lost their children to gun violence, I want to say, I  remember you, honour you, and I carry you in my spirit," she said. "Joshua, they thought when they took you that they were going to erase your legacy and your name. But I am here to rewrite your story with ink that will never be erased."

Reis said in an interview later her experience is something that no mother should go through.

"Because when families have been impacted by gun violence, sometimes those families ... get left behind. They feel like they are the one that committed the crime because no one seems to pay them no mind," Reis said.

Last June, the federal government proclaimed the first Friday of June as the National Day Against Gun Violence in Canada.