A man whose son was one of seven people shot at Toronto's Eaton Centre more than two years ago is calling the two strangers who rushed to save his then-13-year-old child heroes.
Craig Stevenson says the two Good Samaritans helped to save his son, Connor Stevenson. The teenaged boy and his mother were at the Sushi Q eatery in the crowded mall's food court in June 2012 when multiple gunshots rang out. Two people were killed and five people were hit by stray bullets, including Stevenson's son, who was struck in the head but ultimately survived.
On Tuesday, Stevenson posed for a photo with the two men who helped to save his son's life outside a Toronto courthouse where the accused gunmen, Christopher Husbands, is on trial.
"It was a fantastic opportunity to really say thank you and express our gratitude for the help that they gave," he told CTV Toronto.
Earlier in the day, one of the two heroes, Steven Isaac, took the stand as a witness. He is seen in one of several surveillance camera images helping shoppers take cover after gunshots rang out and chaos erupted in the mall.
He told reporters outside the courthouse that he was concerned about the "sprayed bullets" that were hitting "the innocent people, like that poor kid."
Husbands has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. He has admitted responsibility for the shooting, but is denying he intended to kill anyone.
Ahmed Hassan, 24, and Nixon Nirmalendran, 22, were fatally injured in the shooting.
Husbands turned himself into police two days after the shooting rampage. According to the prosecution, it was the result of bad blood between Husbands and Nirmalendran, as well as his friends.
The conflict stemmed from an incident a few months earlier when several men stabbed and robbed Husbands. What sparked that attack is not clear, the court has heard, but it may have been because Husbands was sleeping with a friend’s mother, a bad drug deal or because he had offended someone.
With files from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney and The Canadian Press
