The victim of a fatal shooting in the city’s Riverdale neighbourhood has been identified as a 24-year-old Toronto man.
Police initially responded to a call from a resident who heard the sound of five gunshots near Mary Ann Shadd Lane and Munro Street at around 4 p.m Sunday. Upon searching a home on Munro Street, paramedics found a male on the second floor suffering from “obvious injuries.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim -- who investigators believe lived at the home -- was identified by police on Monday as 24-year-old Toronto resident Marcus Gibson.
An autopsy was scheduled for Monday afternoon.
According to Const. Victor Kwong, Gibson was previously charged with first-degree murder, robbery and assault in connection with a fatal shooting at a restaurant in Chinatown in 2014. Investigators at the time said two ‘violent altercations’ broke out at the busy restaurant near Dundas and Chestnut streets after a group of people attempted to rob a patron. The incident quickly went awry and numerous gun shots rang out inside the restaurant, ultimately killing one man and injuring two women.
The charges against Gibson were later stayed.
Speaking to reporters from Riverdale Sunday night, Det. Murray Barnes said there were no signs of forced entry into the home. He said investigators had collected video surveillance from the area and would continue to look for more.
Officers were still collecting evidence and statements from witnesses on Monday.
“It's still very early in the investigation so our investigators are trying to piece together what they have, speak to witnesses and get as much information as we can to try to determine who the suspect or suspects were,” Toronto police Cst. Allyson Douglas-Cook said Monday.
The incident comes on the heels of another shooting in the same area. Back in August, 61-year-old Peggy Ann Smith was killed after she was struck by a stray bullet while visiting family near Dundas and Munro streets.
Smith’s husband John Wraxall visited the scene of the latest shooting on Monday and called the continued violence in the area “disturbing.” .
“(I had) flashbacks of what happened to my wife. And it was disturbing and it was heartbreaking actually to find out somebody died,” Wraxall told CTV News Toronto on Monday. “Peggy died like three months ago and for this to happen now, it's sad. It's really sad.”
Barnes said police could not confirm whether there was a connection between any of the shootings.
Police have not yet released details pertaining to a potential suspect.
Anyone with information is being asked to call police at 416-808-5500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
With files from Codi Wilson
