WARMINGTON: Details scarce after 15-year-old shot dead in latest violence to rock city

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It looks like the shooter or shooters were looking for a specific teenager and on Saturday night they not only found him but murdered him.

It was loud when it happened in the Mount Dennis neighbourhood, but has gone quiet ever since.

But when you have 15-year-olds shot in what looks like a targeted murder, you know as a city you have a major problem that just can’t be glossed over, or pretend that everything is okay.

It’s not okay.

The victims seem to be getting younger and so do the shooters and violent criminals. And Toronto as a whole, and the Canadian justice system, does not seem to have any answer for it — or much of a desire to find one. The gang wars seem to go from one generation to the other and few seem to care unless a bullet hits an unintended target.

Then there’s outrage. But there should be outrage every time a 15-year-old is gunned down in cold blood — which is what happened Saturday just after 10 p.m. at Emmett Ave. and Jane St.

Investigators with Toronto Police Homicide are all over this case, which witnesses say involved a shooter, or shooters, approaching in a car and firing toward 10 people — shooting one in the chest who later was pronounced dead.

“Multiple shots were fired,” said one first responder. “There were about 10 people shot at. One hit.”

Police are keeping evidence close to the vest, as well as just where they are taking their investigation. It’s not believed to be connected to last week’s fatal Lawrence Heights shooting or recent violence in the Driftwood neighbourhood. From downtown to Jamestown to Rexdale to Scarborough, whatever the reason, Toronto Police understand the players and the beefs and are working hard to solve Toronto’s 14th homicide of 2025.

“We can understand how concerning incidents like this are to members of the community,” Det. Sgt. Phillip Campbell said during a media scrum Sunday.

Police worked all weekend gathering evidence but did not offer an updated news release on Monday. Perhaps they are close to an arrest? Or just hard at work gathering evidence.

“There won’t be a release today,” said Toronto Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer on Monday. “The decision to publicly identify a homicide victim — particularly a young person — is made in close consultation with the family. As you can appreciate, this is an incredibly sensitive situation.”

We do understand. These are families that are torn apart. It’s ugly.

But young people dying and their names being kept from the public is a concerning trend because if you don’t have a victim or a picture, it’s hard for the public to feel something — from sadness to outrage.

This is the second young person to die this year in a violent incident in which the victim’s identity has not yet been made public. The other was a 16-year-old shot by police April 22, after videos show him shooting at an officer from the back of a car that he was asked to exit.

The SIU is investigating that case. But we don’t know who it was, how he had a gun and what he was up to that night or at other times. As a result, the public is in the dark about what is going on on its streets.

What we do know with the Emmett Ave. fatal shooting is that a robust probe is underway.

“We want to assure the public that we are dedicating all necessary resources to this investigation,” Campbell told reporters.

While no victim’s name has been released so far — likewise for hints on the motive — sources tell the Sun one investigative avenue being considered is a potential retribution play from a rival gang as a result of some dissing on social media. Police have not confirmed this but it’s standard into today’s street world — whether it’s rappers trading barbs in videos and messaging online or messages being delivered by gunfire.

It’s dark and bad for Toronto. But there is a killer or killers out there. For now.

“The suspect fled the area prior to police arrival,” police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-7400, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at 222tips.com.

Maybe your call will help solve this horrible murder of a 15-year-old human being who had a name and life before having it stolen from him Saturday.

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