A young man shot in the head during a talent show early Monday morning has died.
Keegan Allen, 18, was at an urban dance competition at the Hungarian House Cultural Centre, on St. Clair Avenue near Dufferin St., when he was shot as awards were being handed out.
He remained in hospital in grave condition until Tuesday, when he died at 5:50 p.m.
About 600 people attended the all-ages event, billed as Showdown 2007. Witnesses told police that at some point during the evening, several rap singers jumped on stage uninvited, much to the displeasure of the audience. Police said a hostile exchange ensued between the audience and would-be rappers.
However, order was soon restored and the competition resumed. But when the awards were being given out at the end of the night around 2:20 a.m., chaos broke out as three gunshots were fired in the crowd.
The audience scrambled out of the venue in a panic.
Outside the centre, more gunshots were heard just as police were arriving on the scene.
When they went inside the building, they found Allen wounded, lying on the dance floor.
Police said Monday they are looking for two men they are calling "persons of interest." One is described as wearing a white hat with a white striped shirt with the number 45 on the back.
Authorities are asking people who attended the event to give them a call. Investigators know some of the attendees were taking their own video footage of the party and want to take a look at the tapes for clues.
Anybody with information about the incident are being asked to call homicide detectives at 416-808-7400 or to leave an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers, 416-222-TIPS (8477).
