A 'deplorable and cowardly act': Soccer referee gunned down at North York sports complex
New details have emerged about a shooting at a North York indoor soccer and basketball facility over the weekend that left a 49-year-old man dead and wounded two others.
So far police have released few details about the triple shooting at La Liga Sports Complex, not even confirming whether or not it was targeted.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
But in a statement posted online, Futsal Canada said the victim, Edwin Farley Alvarado Quintero, of Woodbridge, was “doing his job and passion as a referee when a fight broke out between some players” and may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
According to the organization, the “dispute escalated to the level where a man armed with a gun fired shots into the venue hitting three men.”
Quintero was struck by gunfire. He died in the hospital a short time later.
Soccer/futsal referee Edwin Farley Alvarado Quintero, 49, of Woodbridge, was fatally shot at North York's La Liga Sports Complex on Sunday, Oct. 9. (GoFundMe photo)
A second victim sustained life-threatening injuries, while the third man’s injuries were deemed serious.
Police have not yet confirmed the account provided by Futsal Canada.
“Everyone at Futsal Canada sends our deepest sympathies to (Quintero’s) family. No one should ever have to go to a game and face violence in any way. We absolutely condemn in the strongest words possible this deplorable and cowardly act,” they wrote in their post.
Quintero has worked as a referee for both soccer and a similar sport called futsal in the past.
People in the soccer and futsal communities have since taken to social media to decry what happened.
A charity futsal tournament is now in the process of being organized in Quintero’s honour by the soccer and Latino communities in conjunction with Toronto police. The fundraiser is set for next weekend in North York.
Police respond to a shooting near Finch Avenue and Alness Street Sunday October 9, 2022. (Corey Baird /CTV News Toronto)
Funds are also being raised online to pay for Quintero’s funeral and help his family.
According to a GoFundMe page, he leaves behind his wife Alejandra Alvarado and two daughters, age 13 and 18.
Toronto police’s homicide squad continues to investigate the fatal shooting.
So far, investigators have canvassed the area and spoken to several witnesses.
Police are still working to determine what may have led to the shooting.
CP24.com did reach out to police for an update on the case but have not yet heard back.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau and Harris? Poilievre and Trump? Here's who Canadians think would work best with: survey
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
B.C. port employers launch lockout at terminals in labour dispute with workers
Employers at British Columbia ports say they are going ahead with locking out more than 700 foremen across the province after strike activities from union members began.
Months after VRBO booking, Taylor Swift fan told home 'not available' during Vancouver concert
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Felonies, assassination attempts and a last-minute change on the ticket leads voters to Tuesday's U.S. election
A campaign that has careened through a felony trial, incumbent being pushed off the ticket and assassination attempts comes down to Election Day on Tuesday.
Measles cases in New Brunswick more than double in three days
A measles outbreak declared in New Brunswick’s Zone 3 last week, which includes Fredericton and the upper Saint John River Valley, has more than doubled since last week.
Prison sentences handed down for sexually abusive London, Ont. parents
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about a year ago. Here's how her condition was reversed
A year ago, Lorraine O'Quinn was coping with stress, chronic illness and Type 2 diabetes. Then she discovered a health program that she says changed her life.
Surprise swing state? Iowa poll has Harris suddenly leading
Based on victories in the past two elections and polls leading up to Tuesday’s election, Donald Trump had seemed almost certain to win Iowa, but a new poll has Kamala Harris with a sudden three-point lead.
Russia suspected of sending incendiary devices on US- and Canada-bound planes, Wall Street Journal reports
Incendiary devices that ignited in Germany and the United Kingdom in July were part of a covert Russian operation that aimed to start fires aboard cargo and passenger flights heading to the U.S. and Canada, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday, citing Western security officials.