TORONTO -- York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a masked suspect who they believe opened fire outside a Thornhill mall on Sunday night, seriously injuring a 17-year-old and a 30-year-old.
Emergency crews were called to the parking lot of the Promenade Mall, located in the area of Bathurst and Centre streets, just before 9 p.m. for reports of shots fired.
Upon arrival at the scene, officials said they located one of the male victims inside a grey sedan, while the other male victim was located just outside of the vehicle.
A witness at the scene, who did not wish to be identified, told CP24 he was inside a white tow truck, labelled with the logo for “United Towing,” with a new driver he was training when they went to the parking lot to meet the company’s owner.
The two males got out of the tow truck and approached the sedan before gunfire rang out, striking the man inside the car and the new tow truck driver.
The witness said the gunman allegedly attempted to continue shooting but ran out of bullets.
This incident is related to an ongoing tow truck turf war that has been occurring in the region for more than a year, the witness said.
A police source confirmed the information from the witness to CP24 on Monday morning.
The windows of the sedan, which remains at the scene on Monday morning, appear to be blown out and blood is seen to be smeared on one of the doors.
The mall was closed at the time of the shooting.
According to police, the suspect was wearing a mask and was last seen fleeing the area on foot in an unknown direction.
Officers are appealing to anyone with further information regarding the investigation to come forward and contact investigators or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
