Driver remains in critical condition after being shot at from another vehicle in east Toronto

A police officer at the scene of a shooting on Tuesday in the area of Markham and Ellesmere roads shortly before 5 p.m. (CP24/ Simon Sheehan).

A driver in their 20s is fighting for their life in hospital after they were shot at from another vehicle on a residential street in Scarborough on Tuesday afternoon.

Toronto police say the incident happened on Dolly Varden Boulevard, near Markham and Ellesmere roads, shortly before 5 p.m.

“Two vehicles were travelling northbound on Dolly Varden from Brimorton Drive, when an individual fired from one vehicle into the other,” said Toronto Police Service (TPS) Insp. Jeff Bangild at the scene.

“Directly behind me is a black car that's come to rest against a tree. The driver of that vehicle has been shot as a result of that incident and has been transported to a nearby trauma center.”

Bangild said a second occupant of the vehicle that was shot at managed to escape without being injured, and quickly called police.

“The suspect vehicle was last seen northbound [on Dolly Varden]; it’s described as a light-coloured SUV,” he added. “The number of occupants in that vehicle is unknown and we do not know exactly what weapon was used.”

Bangild says officers remain on scene and are canvassing the area for witnesses and further evidence of gunfire such as cartridges, ammunition, and the weapon itself.

“Given that this is a residential area, and that there’s a parkette to my immediate left, we know there was a lot of people that were in the area at the time,” he said.

“Additionally, in front of me, there’s commercial areas, and a lot of people were out at the time; 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon on Tuesday is a very busy time for this intersection, and we’re encouraging anyone with information to come forward.”

Investigators are also asking anyone with home security or dashcam footage from the area at the time of the shooting to contact police.

Bangild said a key part of the investigation will be trying to piece together what happened before the shooting took place.

“We know that there were incidents that led to this. What precipitated this and what the cause and effects are is still unclear, so clearly it’s not [just] the immediate vicinity that we’re looking at canvassing,” he said.

“Anyone that was in the area even south of here, north of here or in the general area may have information that is going to assist us.”