Shooting in downtown Toronto leaves 1 dead, 2 others injured
Toronto police are searching for four suspects who they said opened fire on three men in Regent Park Saturday evening, leaving one of them dead and the other two injured.
Officers were called to the area of Oak and Sumach streets, south of Gerrard Street East, just before 9 p.m. for a shooting.
When they arrived, they located three men, all in their 20s, suffering from gunshot wounds.
Insp. Michael Williams said one victim was pronounced at the scene while another victim who was shot in the torso was rushed to a trauma centre in life-threatening condition.
He said a third victim suffered gunshot wounds to his lower body and was also transported to a local hospital in non-life-threatening condition.
The homicide unit has been called and will take over the investigation.
"What I can tell you so far is it appears that four people dressed in dark clothing approached on foot, and all four of them apparently opened fire on these three men," Williams said.
He noted that approximately 50 shell casings were found at the scene.
When asked if the victims returned fire, Williams said it's still early in the investigation to determine that.
"I can't speculate at this point if there was an exchange of gunfire," he said.
Williams advised residents to expect heavy police presence in the area as officers talk to witnesses and canvass for videos.
"It's a highly-populated area. There's a playground just to the south of us. It was still 8:50 when this took place, so probably lots of people around -- very, very dangerous," he said.
"There are apartment buildings. There are low-rise townhouses all over the place, likely people on foot. We're hoping that someone captured something on video or maybe saw something from a balcony or maybe walking by and if they could come forward and contact our investigators from the homicide squad and 51 Division."
Police have not released any suspect information.
Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam, who represents the area, said the shooting is gut-wrenching and urged anyone with information to contact police.
"I'm speaking to Toronto Police to better understanding what happened. City's Community Crisis Response Program will be in the community to support local residents affected," Wong-Tam tweeted after the incident.
"For the sake of all our children, we must put an end to gun violence in this city and country. Please hold Regent Park in your hearts tight tonight."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.