Man 'fighting for his life' after North York double shooting
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Two men are in hospital — including one in critical condition — after a North York shooting as unflattering shooting stats and the homicide rate climb, according to a senior Toronto Police officer.
Supt. Mandeep Mann and a community officer were at a mall at Abraham Welsh Rd. and Sheppard Ave. W. — east of Weston Rd. — at about noon on Tuesday after as many as 12 shots or more were fired at a person in the parking lot around midnight.
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“Sadly, we learned there was a male struck. That individual is now fighting for his life,” said Mann.
“We do have information that multiple people were involved. And it needs to be investigated fully.”
A second victim had minor injuries, police said, and there was no other suspect information.
Mann delved into the city’s crime stats and his concerns about the safety of the community at large, including the area that 31 Division covers.
“We are in a 47% increase, year to date, with homicides and a 43% increase in shooting events,” said Mann, who hopes that partnerships with community members can help lower crime rates. “That is disconcerting for us.”
“We alone cannot solve this issue.”
In 2023, according to tracked stats on the Toronto Police website, there were 345 shooting and firearm-discharge events and the city is already at 308 as of late August. The biggest year for shooting stats came in 2019 with 492 citywide.
So far this year, the homicide count stands at 55 — 29 via shootings — comparable to 46 slayings at this time last year, 18 of them via shootings.
Overnight TV video showed police searching for multiple groupings of shell casings outside of a Mary Brown’s restaurant along the sidewalk, some 150 metres across the plaza on its west side.
It is believed the suspects may have approached their target on the east side of the plaza in front of a Wendy’s restaurant and opened fire at close range, hitting a man in a vehicle before he stumbled out.
The remnants of the shooting were still visible in the parking by mid-morning including a bullet hole through the middle of the windshield of a white Acura RDX SUV. A grey Kia Soul had its driver-side window shot out. Large blood droplets were visible on the ground beside its passenger side along with discarded paramedic gear including an IV bag.
Another stray shot hit the top of the door frame at the Wendy’s restaurant entrance and seemingly ricocheted into a drainpipe beside it with yellow police tape stuck into the entry and exit hole at the back of the pipe.
Several residents who live west of the plaza in a townhouse complex on Parrotta Dr. said they vividly heard the gunshots after midnight.
Kara, who has been in the neighbourhood for about a month, said she heard the shots as she was going to bed.
“I heard quite a few shots, maybe 10 or 12,” said Kara. “And then I watched to the front (of her townhouse) and could hear them, too.”
“I was scared when I heard it last night and then tried to rationalize myself out of it that it probably wasn’t (a shooting).”
She said she moved to her new place a month ago and likes walking her dog at night, adding that she feels like it’s a “safe place” to live.
Gerald, who has lived with his wife at the townhouses since they were built about 10 years ago, said he heard at least five shots as he went to bed.
“Oh boy, we kind of feel scared. This place is very nice,” said Gerald.
“Well, we just have to pray (for the victims), pray for them now.”
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