A non-fatal double shooting in the Lawrence Heights neighbourhood on Saturday night was only another occurrence in a long string of violence, according to area residents.
Toronto police say two young men were taken to hospital on Saturday from Varna Avenue, near Lawrence Avenue West and Allen Road. Both were shot in the legs during a drive-by shooting, similar to another drive by-shooting where two men were also shot in the legs eight months ago.
"It's happening over the years, it keeps happening and there's been no stop to it," said 14-year-old Natachez Feare.
In the past year, the neighbourhood has also seen a 24-year-old man killed, a man injured and a woman hit by a stray bullet. In March, a young man was shot in the arm and another was shot in the leg a month later.
Several residents told CTV Toronto's Tamara Cherry that they are worried the violence will increase.
"When it comes to nighttime, I have to stay inside," said one area resident.
City council has approved a proposal to revitalize the area by tearing down many of the 1,200 community housing units and create a mixed-income neighbourhood. City staff are currently preparing a second plan that will be finalized in the fall.
Eleven-year-old Amira Ama's family left when Abdikarim Ahmed Abdikarim, 18, was murdered in 2008.
"The people who already live here, they feel like they can't come out anymore, they can't have fun anymore, they can't have parties and all that stuff because it's just not safe," she said.
Toronto police say someone in the community knows who is responsible for the shootings and they can help find the suspects. Police can be contacted at 416-808-3200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222 TIPS.
With files from CTV Toronto's Tamara Cherry.
