A 7-year-old boy was hospitalized following a shooting in Oshawa late Thursday night.
The shooting took place outside a home on Colborne Street West at around 10:40 p.m.
According to Staff Sgt. Colin Shaw, a gunman opened fire on a 23-year-old adult male who was positioned near the front door of the home in what is believed to be a targeted shooting.
Shaw said a stray bullet then struck the seven-year-old boy who was inside the home at the time.
The child was transported to hospital by paramedics after sustaining a gunshot wound to his upper leg. His injures are believed to be minor but police said he will likely remain in hospital for a couple days.
The adult male, who was known to police, also attended a local hospital and was treated for a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Police said that the adult victim was visiting friends at the residence when the shooting took place and that the victim is not cooperating with their investigation.
“I am not sure what the reason is. All I can say is that it is not a random incident,” Shaw told reporters Friday. “We are not getting a lot of information from the 23 year old at this time.”
Police are looking for a black male suspect in connection with the case. He was last seen wearing a grey sweatshirt and black jeans.
One witness who spoke to CP24 Friday morning said she was walking on a sidewalk near the home when she saw the suspect fire two or three shots at the adult male from the street.
Police have not yet commented on whether a getaway vehicle was in fact used in the shooting. Though witnesses have reported seeing a silver vehicle leave the scene, Shaw said police believe that vehicle was carrying the adult victim and transported him to hospital.
“We have been interviewing witnesses and will be canvassing all morning,” Shaw told reporters at the scene earlier on Friday morning. “We just want the public to check their video surveillance and if they have any information to come forward to the police.”
One neighbor who spoke with reporters on Friday morning said that the residence was home to a woman and her children.
The neighbor went on to describe a “traumatic” scene that unfolded after shots rang out.
“I came down when I heard the banging and screaming and he was standing there with his blood all over his leg,” Tanya West said of the child victim. “He was standing there asking if he was going to be OK and if I was going to go to the hospital with him.”
“I heard, ‘What did you do?’” said Jesiqua Rapley, another resident in the area. “There was a toddler screaming and crying… People were running all over the place.”
Judy Wolecki, a third resident in the area, told CTV Toronto she visited the injured boy in hospital Thursday morning.
“I think these guys are cowards,” said Wolecki. “Why do you need a gun? Why do you need a gun to fight and shoot people? You just ruined your life -- was it worth it?”
Police say that they do not believe the shooting was random and that they were familiar with the house where the shooting occurred.
